Director general (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DG) professor Prabhat Chandra Biswas shared his experience of visiting the post-delivery ward of the hospital in the case of the death of six children in Ad-Din Hospital in the capital's Moghbazar.
In this context, he said, “This morning (Wednesday), a suffocating environment was found in this room due to complications related to AC or any other reason. We saw that the AC was set up in such a way that when it was turned off, there was no ventilation system. In such a situation, we lost six children undergoing treatment here.”
He shared this information to the journalists after visiting the ward of the hospital on Wednesday afternoon.
At that time, he was accompanied by acting secretary of the Ministry of Health and additional director general (administration) of the Directorate General of Health Services, professor Md. Zahid Raihan.
The director general of Health Services said, “We have come to know that there were 11 mothers here. Six of them were mothers with their newborns. The newborns were between one and three days old. The remaining five newborns were undergoing treatment in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). They were receiving treatment there due to birth complications.”
Giving information about the formation of a three-member investigation committee in the incident, he said, “A high-level investigation committee has been formed on the instructions of the Health Minister over the incident of child death. The joint secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, an officer of the level of deputy director of the hospital wing of the directorate general of Health Services and another officer of the Directorate General of Health Services have been appointed in the incident.”
The director general of the Directorate General of Health Services also said that the investigation committee will look into whether there was any error in the management of the hospital.
He also said that it will be investigated whether there was any deficiency in the treatment of the children and whether there was any problem in the environment of the room where they were.
Professor Prabhat Chandra Biswas said, “If there is any technical error, especially related to AC or any other technical error, they will also be identified. If necessary, technical experts will also be added to the committee. If expert opinion is required on any technical issue, they will be co-opted.”
The director general said that the government will take strict action based on the report. If any negligence of duty or structural or technical defects are found in the service, appropriate strict action will be taken at each level, he said.
Earlier, six newborns died in the postoperative ward on the second floor of the hospital on Wednesday morning. Police suspect that the incident may have occurred due to leakage in the gas line of the AC or some other mechanical fault. Ramna police said that they are investigating the incident.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
