2 newborn roasted alive in radiant warmer at Kolkata hospital

Two newborns, a five-day old and a four-day old succumbed to death in a warmer, which is meant to regulate their temperatures, at the Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta.

Shattered couples were shocked to see their baby death.The incident took place on November 21, and both the babies died in the sick newborn care unit (SNCU).

According to reports, both the babies have developed jaundiced and were put together in a warmer along with a third newborn.

Fortunately the third baby was taken away by the mother and the other two were left behind without the apparatus. Shockingly, none of the hospital staff took notice of this leading to the death of the new born.

“I found child extremely hot on the night before he died. When I complained to them, the doctors and nurses on duty told me that the baby had to continue in the warmer as it would keep her well. How could they not sense something amiss?” said Saba.

Next morning, when Saba went to see her nephew, she found the body stiff. When asked, the doctors said the baby was sinking and they were trying to resurrect him. By 2pm, the family was informed that the baby had died.

“The baby was roasted alive. The doctors and nurses on duty should be booked for negligence. How could they be so insensitive?” Saba’s husband Mohammad Javed said.

Staff of the state-run hospital has been found guilty of medical negligence that led to the death of two infants in the radiant warmer.

“We have identified the staff who were responsible for the lapses. Some of them were directly involved and some are indirectly responsible for what happened. Culprits would be dealt with severe punishment,” said West Bengal health secretary Malay Kumar.