New Delhi’s Max Hospital on Sunday terminated the services of two doctors who were involved in erroneously declaring a newborn dead last week. The inquiry panel set up by the hospital to look into the matter is expected to conclude its investigation on Monday, IANS reported.
The facility in Shalimar Bagh said it took “strict action” against Dr AP Mehta and Dr Vishal Gupta “on the basis of our initial discussions with the expert group and as a reflection of our commitment to higher standards of care”. But it also asserted that their move did not imply that that the panel investigating the alleged case of medical negligence had found any lapse.
The baby and his twin were born premature on Thursday morning, and the hospital had declared them stillborn. The family also alleged that the hospital had handed the babies to them in a plastic bag. When the parents were on their way to a crematorium to perform their last rites, they found that the boy was still alive. His sibling did not survive, and the surviving baby is under intensive care at a smaller hospital.
On Sunday, the Delhi Police sent a notice to Max Hospital, asking its authorities to send details of the incident and be available for questioning.
Corrections and clarifications: An earlier version of the story erroneously said that the baby died after he was taken to a smaller hospital for treatment. The error has been corrected.
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