9 punished for crib deaths in Kolkata

Cracking the whip, chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also the health minister, on Friday punished nine medical personnel responsible for the deaths of two newborn babies in the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).

Her action came within a week after the two newborns were virtually roasted to death in the radiant warmer of the sick neonatal care unit of the CMCH early on November 21. Among the nine, nursing-in-charge Chandrani Deb and three junior doctors, all being post graduate trainees (PGTs) were suspended.

On November 20 night, Ms Deb was on duty at the SNCU where the two newborns were roasted to death. A four-member inquiry committee found she was expected to take care of the newborns but failed in her job.

The three PGTs, also posted in the SNCU on that night, allegedly spent time by sitting together instead of giving rounds. Five others were transferred. Four of them were shunted to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. One of them is Tapas Sapui who headed the paediatrics department and its SNCU.

He was found guilty of failing to engage more doctors on duty. Surprisingly, Dr Sapui was a member of the committee which probed the incident. Similar was the fate of another inquiry committee member Keya Samanta, the nursing superintendent.

Besides deputy nursing superintendent Indrani Das, SNCU-in-charge Shrabani Pal also faced transfer. Resident medical officer Sushanta Bhanja was sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

Furious over the action on their superiors, a group of nurses demonstrated in the hospital.They claimed their superiors were victimised by the top health department officials. State health secretary Moloy De said a fresh notice would be issued to all the 50 SNCUs to admit only one newborn in a warmer at a time.