Deaths of newborns bitten by rats: Tribal group stages protest at Indore hospital

A tribal organisation has launched an indefinite sit-in at the State-run Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MYH) here, demanding action against top officials over the deaths of two newborn girls, who had been bitten by rats.

Members of Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti began their protest on Sunday and sat at the main gate of MYH.

The 75-year-old MYH is among the largest government hospitals in Madhya Pradesh and is attached to the State-run Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore.

The protesters alleged gross negligence on the part of the college dean Dr. Arvind Ghanghoria and MYH Superintendent Dr. Ashok Yadav. They demanded their suspension and registration of a case of culpable homicide against the two senior doctors.

“Until action is taken against the dean and the hospital superintendent, the families of the two newborns mauled by rats will not get justice,” said Lokesh Mujalda, national president of the tribal organisation.

Rats bit the fingers of one newborn in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of MYH, while another was bitten on the head and shoulder. The incidents took place on the intervening night of August 31 and September 1, and the infants died subsequently.

According to the hospital authorities, both infants, one from a tribal family and another belonging to a minority community, died due to other health reasons.

MYH officiating superintendent Dr Basant Kumar Ningwal on Sunday said he and other administrative officers made efforts to pacify the protesters, but they refused to relent.

“Patients are facing hardship due to the sit-in and sloganeering on the hospital premises,” he added.

Rejecting allegations of negligence, MYH administration maintained the deaths had nothing to do with rat bites and were instead caused by severe health complications due to congenital deformities.

So far, disciplinary action has been taken against eight officials, including suspension and removal from posts, in connection with the incident. Superintendent Dr. Ashok Yadav has proceeded on long leave citing “serious health issues”.