‘Negligence’ by Hospital Staff Leaves Newborn Injured

KARIMNAGAR:
Alleged negligence of medical staff at the Mother and Child Health Centre (MCHC) here resulted in a deep cut on the right thumb of an infant at the hospital on Sunday night.
Eight-month pregnant Vanaja (25) of Husnabad mandal headquarters in Siddipet district was admitted to the hospital following labour pains on September 5. She delivered a premature male baby and, when the infant was not crying, he was kept in an incubator.
During treatment, the hospital staff used cannula plaster for administering medicines to the infant. On Sunday, the para-medical staff, allegedly, removed the cannula plaster forcibly by using a blade, resulting in a deep cut on the right thumb of the infant. The medical staff clandestinely covered the wound with plaster, it was alleged.
The truth came out when family members noticed blood oozing out of the hand of the infant and repeatedly questioned the para-medical staff. Irked, relatives of the injured infant and other patients staged a dharna in front of the hospital. Later, the hospital authorities terminated the outsourced staff from service.
On Monday, BJP State official spokesperson Bandi Sanjay Kumar got the infant shifted to a private hospital for treatment. He alleged a high infant mortality rate at the MCHC in the last few months.