BABY CASE: EXPERT PANEL REPORT FINDS NEGLIGENCE BY MAX HOSPITAL

NEW DELHI: A three-member panel formed by the Delhi Government to probe the case of a premature newborn being wrongfully declared dead by a private hospital submitted its report on Tuesday. The preliminary report, submitted to Health Minister Satyendar Jain has found Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh guilty of not having followed prescribed medical norms in dealing with newborn infants.

While it will take another seven days for the final report, the panel has found evidence of negligence which includes no ECG being done to confirm whether the infant was dead, the living and dead children were not kept separately and so on.

The panel which consists of three doctors, a gynaecologist, a paediatrician and a hospital administrator, gave its reports after examining records and visiting the hospital.

The Health Minister had said that the government could cancel the license of Max hospital Shalimar Bagh if found guilty.

Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal had also hinted a strong action saying, “We value the independence of private hospitals and do not wish to interfere in their functioning. However, there ought to be a legal framework to check open loot and criminal negligence by a few black sheep.”

However, the police probe into the case still continues as officials are grilling doctors on Tuesday.

“Proposal for constituting a medical board for medical experts' opinion has been initiated,” said Aslam Khan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-west).

She added, “Four doctors from Max hospital have joined the investigation.”

Earlier, the hospital authority decided to terminate the services of two doctors allegedly involved in the case on December 3.

"While the inquiry by the expert group which includes external experts from the IMA is still in process, we have decided to terminate the services of two treating doctors, AP Mehta and Vishal Gupta in the case relating to the twin extreme pre-term babies," the office bearers said in a statement.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had said that the government could cancel the license of Max hospital Shalimar Bagh if found guilty