"This includes, but is not limited to, strengthening supervision, ensuring strict adherence to all safety protocols and standard operating procedures. You are also directed to be careful in the future and ensure that such incidents do not happen again."
The Assam government has expressed serious displeasure over the tragic incident at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) last month, in which a newborn died and three other babies sustained injuries in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Siddharth Singh, Commissioner and Secretary to the Assam Government, wrote to GMCH Superintendent Dr. Achyut Baishya and Additional Superintendent Pradip Kumar Das, expressing "serious displeasure regarding the incident" and directed the state-run hospital to take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
"This includes, but is not limited to, strengthening supervision, ensuring strict adherence to all safety protocols and standard operating procedures. You are also directed to be careful in the future and ensure that such incidents do not happen again," the letter read.
The hospital has also been asked to submit a compliance report to the department at the earliest.
Yesterday, GMCH administration suspended several medical staff based on the findings of its internal investigation. Dr. Anupama Deka, HoD of Pediatrics, and Associate Professor Dr. Dipankar Hazarika have been suspended indefinitely.
During this period, both doctors will remain headquartered in Guwahati and are barred from private practice or any other professional work until further orders.
In addition, Nurse In-Charge Gomati Devi, staff nurse Chandana Nath, and ICU technician Ishan Jyoti Talukdar have also been suspended. Based on complaints filed by the families of the affected infants, two more doctors, identified as Dr. Hrishikesh Thakuria and Dr. Puja, have also been suspended, but for a period of six months.
The incident took plaec at GMCH's labour and delivery ward, where three infants were seriously injured, and one is deceased, after allegedly falling from a bed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Reports say four to five newborns were packed into one ICU bed then, while concerns for the hospital's capacity and safety have been raised. Families allege a lack of proper supervision and security, citing prior instances of staff misconduct.
The case blew up further with an on-duty nurse being taken into custody and the superintendent being replaced. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also stepped in.