3 nurses booked for taping newborn's mouth to prevent it from crying in Maharashtra hospital

The Bhandup police in Maharashtra on Thursday booked three nurses at a BMC-run Savitribai Phule Hospital for allegedly taping a newborn's mouth in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to prevent it from crying, reported The Times Of India. 

The mother of the infant, Priya Kamble, a homemaker from Badlapur, had delivered her son on May 20, 2023. She was discharged three days later and was asked to return if her son suffered any health problems.

On May 26, she rushed to hospital after the baby he turned pale, but a doctor told her the baby wouldn’t need hospitalisation as long as he was being breastfed. However, the baby continued to receive treatment at the NICU.

She alleged that when she went to check up on her baby on June 2, she found him with an adhesive tape across his mouth. She removed the tape from the baby's mouth and found rashes all over his body.

“When she enquired about the tape, nurse Sweta told her that they had to place it as her baby wouldn’t stop crying,” said an officer.

She informed her parents and a former corporator, who demanded the hospital authorities to discharge the baby.

Kamble immediately called her family who sought help from Jagruti Patil, an ex-corporator. With Patil on the scene, a midnight drama ensued at the hospital and the Kambles insisted that the newborn and mother be discharged immediately.

Later, Priya’s parents approached nurse Savita Bhoir, who allegedly told them not to create a ruckus over the adhesive tape as it was a “common practice” in NICUs. Police said the baby was taken to Agrawal Hospital thereafter.

At Patil’s insistence, police took the complaint, but there was no follow-up action until MSHRC began hearing the case.

Months later, family’s lawyer Tushar Bhonsale filed a complaint with Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC), which issued summons to the BMC and police. The police took cognisance of the MSHRC case and took action against the nurses on Thursday.