MP: MY Hospital in trouble after back to back child death cases

Indore:Just a day after the report came out of death incident of an 8 year old child at Maharaja Yeshwantrao (MY) Hospital, who had been given nitrous oxide mistakenly instead of oxygen due to mix-up in the supply pipes in the attached operation theatre on Saturday, and another case has come into light where a child death case has come from the same hospital.

This comes after the child was operated in the newly built operation theatre of Indore's Maharaja Yeshwantrao (MY) Hospital. The operation theatre was inaugurated on May 24. Many have alleged that the said OT began its operations with out going through the mandatory trial run, safety lab tests, leading to an alleged protocol negligence.

However, Speaking to HT, Vijay Agarwal, MY hospital spokesperson said that "the chances of his revival looked slim".

MK Rathore Dean of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical college (MGM) set up the 5 member team to find out the deficiencies at the hospital. Anil Baharani, HOD medicine, MGM medical college will lead the team and the report will be submitted to the state Government. The heads of the pediatrics and anaesthesia departments are also part of the team. The team will submit a detailed report in two days while a primary report is expected to arrive by Monday.

While expressing the medical protocols, Divisional commissioner Sanjay Dubey said, "I do not possess the medical acumen to state whether any tests are performed in the first place to verify whether an operation theatre is safe to perform an operation." However, he said, "if there were any protocols that were not fulfilled and should ideally be carried out then strict action will be taken (against those who are responsible for it)."

According to the sources, as per the hospital Guidelines, the operation theatre contractor, who is a technical specialist, is required to conduct 20-odd tests and checks and submit the report to the doctor incharge before the operation theatre can formally be used. Only then after these tests it can be concluded that whether the operation theatre is ready to be used or not.

But sources have pointed out that, no such safety procedure was performed at the hospital premises before using the operation theatre and the doctor incharge did not submit any report regarding operation theatre uses. MK Rathore further said, "We are not sure about it (the report). Three culture tests are usually performed. An operation can be performed only when this report comes negative." However, a technician Rajendra Choudhary, who reportedly set up the pipes at the operation theatre, allegedly said that he had insisted for a trial run, but the hospital authorities ignored him.

A Public Interest litigation (PIL) has been filed on Tuesday against the MY hospital by the social activists. The Social activists and lawyers have moved the PIL demanding compensation of Rs 25 lakh each for both aggrieved families, suspension of erring hospital staff and registering criminal case against the people behind the incident.

Expressing their anger towards hospital negligence Petitioner's counsel Manish Yadav said, "Operation theatre directly deals with human lives. It should not have been used without proper checks. We have sought court intervention and demanded compensation for the families and criminal case against the staff', reports TOI. Petitioner and president of social organisation Yuva Paigam, Pramod Kumar Dwivedi said, "The hospital administration cannot shrug off the responsibility. They are equally responsible for the lapse that claimed lifes of the toddlers".

However, the MGM reports that they did not receive any letter from Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) seeking representation on the entire matter till Tuesday night. The state government has constituted a separate expert committee to probe the case. The expert committee has to submit its detailed report in seven days.