Govt serves show cause notice to Ad-Din Hospital over newborn deaths

The health department on Thursday sent a show cause notice to Ad-Din Hospital asking the authorities to explain why their license will not be cancelled after a probe report found evidence of their role in the deaths of six newborns last week.

The notice gives the hospital authorities 72 hours to respond in-person or in writing.

The director for hospital and clinic affairs at the Directorate General of Health Services signed the notice.

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Probe finds Ad-Din Hospital authorities responsible for deaths of 6 newborns

As per the notice, a high-level probe committee has found that Ad-Din Hospital authorities and staff members clearly violated provisions under the “The Medical Practice and Private Clinics and Laboratories (Regulation) Ordinance, 1982.”

The violations led to the deaths of six newborns within three hours in the early hours on 27 May, the notice read.

Earlier in the afternoon, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain revealed the details of the probe report.

Speaking at a press conference in the Secretariat around 3pm, the minister said the government would take a decision on stringent measures against the hospital team on Sunday.

The government appointed high-level probe committee has found clear evidence of “gross negligence” by the doctors, nurses and authorities of the private hospital, the minister noted.

Ventilation of air and supply of oxygen fell to dangerous level for newborns in the post-delivery ward-2 of the hospital in the early hours of 27 May. The presence of carbon-di-oxide was also abnormally high.

Prolonged shut down of the air conditioning system reduced air ventilation, but discounting the effect of the AC shutdown, the building itself is not suitable for adequate air movement, the minister said.

The building does not support other hospital functions as well.

The hospital is also operated at overcapacity, while the nurses and staffers demonstrate utter disregard for the concerns of the patients and their guardians, Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain further said.

The probe committee submitted its report to the Health Ministry on Tuesday.

A parent of one of the deceased newborns has already filed a lawsuit with the Ramna Model Police Station, holding the hospital authorities accountable for the deaths.