The Hindu : Front Page : Probe ordered into baby deaths in SAT Hospital

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Thursday, May 03, 2007
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Probe ordered into baby deaths in SAT Hospital

Special Correspondent

CRAMMED WARD: A view of the gynaecology ward at SAT Hospital. — Photo: S. Gopakumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government on Wednesday designated a five-member expert team to inquire into the death of 23 babies at Sree Avittam Tirunal (SAT) Hospital here in a month on account of hospital-acquired infections.

Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy said the team would be asked to submit its report in three weeks. The team comprises Rajasekharan Nair, Professor and Consultant Gynaecologist of Sree Uthradam Tirunal Academy of Medical Sciences, Thiruvananthapuram; V.V. Radhakrishnan, Professor of Pathology of Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram; S. Latha, Paediatrician and Superintendent of Institute of Child Health Medical College, Kottayam; Noel Narayanan, Consultant Paediatrician, Thiruvananthapuram (who retired from SAT Hospital); and Head of the Department of Microbiology, Medical College, Alappuzha.

To seek explanation

The Cabinet, which discussed the issue at its meeting on Wednesday, decided to remove SAT Hospital Superintendent K. Rajmohan from his post for failing to report the situation to the Government. He will be asked to explain why he had failed to inform the Principal of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College to which the hospital is attached or the Director of Medical Education about the deaths in the neonatology unit of the hospital. Professor and Head of the Department of Paediatrics Lalitha Kailas will be given additional charge of the Superintendent.

The Cabinet also decided that the Health Minister should visit the hospital and take appropriate action.

Ms. Sreemathy later said that a three-member committee consisting of the Director of Rural Health Mission, Principal of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College and the Director of Medical Education would be asked to inspect the hospital and suggest remedial measures. A sum of Rs.1 crore would be allocated for renovation of the hospital and other measures needed to ensure hygiene at the hospital.

The Minister said that the Government viewed the deaths very seriously. "Even death of a single baby on account of infections resulting from unhygienic conditions is serious."

She said there had been some technical difficulties in appointing additional staff at the hospital. The hospital building was old and needed renovation. She had visited the clinical laboratory of the hospital sometime ago and directed its renovation.

Admitting that more deaths than usual had occurred in the hospital, she said that conclusions could be drawn only on the basis of the expert committee report. Mortalities in other hospitals would also be looked into.

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