Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain has pledged the toughest possible legal action against those responsible for the deaths of six newborns at Ad-din Hospital, following an investigation that found evidence of negligence and serious lapses in patient care.
Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat on Thursday, the minister said the deaths were linked to failures in the hospital’s management, including the prolonged shutdown of the air-conditioning system in the ward where the infants were being treated.
“The six newborns died due to negligence. We will ensure the highest punishment allowed under the law for those responsible,” he said after receiving the findings of a probe committee formed by the Health Ministry.
According to the investigation report, submitted by a three-member committee of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the post-operative ward where the incident occurred was unsuitable for patient care. The report found that the 900-square-foot room was overcrowded and lacked adequate ventilation.
Investigators concluded that the prolonged closure of the air-conditioning system contributed to a dangerous decline in oxygen levels and a rise in carbon dioxide concentration inside the room. The report also identified negligence by hospital authorities and gross irresponsibility on the part of nurses and other staff members on duty.
The minister said the affected post-operative ward has already been sealed off. However, authorities have not yet closed the entire hospital because more than 200 patients are currently receiving treatment there.
He said the government would examine the legal implications over the next two days before making a final decision regarding the hospital by Sunday.
The tragic incident occurred on 27 May, when six newborns died within a three-hour period between 6am and 9am in the hospital’s post-delivery ward, prompting widespread concern and an official investigation.
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