United News of Bangladesh

Negligence at Ad-Din Medical College Hospital led to the deaths of six infants, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain on Thursday. The findings of the Health Ministry’s probe body were presented at a press conference at Secretariat where the minister said the inquiry report clearly established serious lapses in hospital management and patient care. Exemplary punitive action would be taken against the hospital authorities, he said. According to the investigation report, the hospital’s air conditioning system in the affected ward remained non-functional for an extended period. The lack of proper cooling and ventilation created a severe oxygen shortage, resulting in a dangerous rise in carbon dioxide levels inside the unit. The probe committee also found evidence of gross negligence by administrative officers, on-duty doctors, and nurses responsible for neonatal intensive care. They were found to have failed in fulfilling their assigned duties and maintaining adequate monitoring of newborns. Besides, the post-operative ward was reportedly overcrowded in a small enclosed space, with patient numbers exceeding its capacity. This overcrowding further worsened the already critical conditions, contributing to the tragedy, the report said. Earlier on Monday, the minister said legal action will be taken over the deaths of six newborns at Ad-Din Hospital based on the findings of probe committees. On May 27, six newborns died in its postnatal ward at Ad-Din Medical College Hospital within three hours in Moghbazar area of the capital.