BABY DIES AFTER GETTING BURNS IN WARMER MACHINE

PRAYAGRAJ: A newborn baby boy, who sustained burns inside a warmer machine at the SNCU (Sick Newborn Care Unit) of the Kaushambi district hospital, died on Sunday evening, police said. The newborn’s kin alleged that baby’s skin near the chest and stomach was severely burnt while his body turned blue, they said.

According to reports, Junaid Ahmad’s wife Mahelika, a resident of Khakhreru in Fatehpur district, had labour pains on Friday evening (August 13). Junaid and his family members admitted her to district hospital on Saturday morning (August 14), where she delivered a baby boy the same evening.

The family was hoping to get the mother and baby discharged from the hospital, but the doctors shifted the newborn to the SNCU on the ground that he was unwell and needed treatment. Junaid claimed that they were not allowed to see the child whole night on Saturday.

When the child’s grandmother went to see him on Sunday evening, she found that the child’s body had turned blue while the skin near his chest and stomach looked burnt. After this, the child’s parents and kin created a ruckus at the hospital. They alleged that the child died due to negligence of the SNCU staffers who were busy on their mobile phones instead of taking care of the child, police said.

Chief medical superintendent Dr Deepak Seth and other doctors reached the hospital and talked to the aggrieved family.

“Junaid has given a complaint to the CMS demanding an inquiry and action against the accused staff,” said Manish Pandey, station house officer (SHO) of Manjhanpur police station, who also reached the spot.

The CMS said, “An inquiry is being carried out in connection with the newborn’s death at SNCU. Action will be taken if any staff is found guilty of negligence,” he added.

The SHO said the parents and kin of the newborn had taken the body with them to Fatehpur and didn’t lodged any complaint.