Probe report into infant’s death in GMCH soon: Himanta

Nalbari (Assam), Aug 22 (PTI) Stating that there was ‘negligence’ on the part of the arrested nurse in the death of a newborn in GMCH NICU, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said action will be taken against all involved in the incident based on findings of an inquiry panel.

He said the three-member probe committee formed by the government will submit its report within a day or two.

A four-day-old infant had died after she was found hanging from the wires of a medical equipment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on Monday.

The infant, born in the same hospital on August 15, was admitted to the NICU for infection and jaundice.

"I saw with my own eyes that negligence was there. A child has died. The nurses are themselves mothers, and they can understand the pain of losing a child even more than I," Sarma said on the sidelines of a programme here, when asked about GMCH nurses protesting against the arrest of their colleague.

On no other arrests being made so far in the case, Sarma said, "Arrests should not be the objective. It could provoke the doctors elsewhere, and they could also go on a protest. The inquiry committee will submit its report in two-three days, and then we will decide." "We will take action against all found guilty in the inquiry," the chief minister, who is in-charge of medical colleges of the state and had visited GMCH the evening of the incident, added.

Sarma dismissed allegations that the GMCH is understaffed and said, "Be it nurses, doctors, grade 4 and grade 3 employees, there are more staff than even required at GMCH." He also maintained that the principal of the hospital will not be transferred over the matter.

"It is a big hospital, and to err is human. If we focus only on the mistake, people who are doing good work get demoralised. We shouldn’t make this a matter of public debate, a TRP thing. As chief minister, I have said action will be taken," Sarma asserted. PTI SSG SSG MNB