Chhattisgarh hospital shut, doctors booked as 10-month-old baby dies after treatment

The boy was admitted to the Siddhi Vinayak Hospital in Chhattisgarh for the treatment of cold and cough but passed away on October 31 while receiving care.

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New Delhi: In a tragic incident, a 10-month-old boy died while receiving treatment for a cold and cough in Durg, Chhattisgarh, according to a police official on Thursday, November 17, 2022. Four doctors and three paramedical staff members of the private hospital have been charged with negligence. In response to the incident, the district health authority also revoked the hospital's registration and fined its management Rs 20,000, according to other officials.

"The registration of the hospital has been cancelled and a fine of Rs 20,000 has been imposed on its management," CMHO Dr Meshram said.

According to reports, Shivansh Verma, who had been admitted to the Siddhi Vinayak Hospital in Sirsa Gate in the Old Bhilai neighbourhood on October 17 for treatment of a cold and cough, passed away on October 31 while receiving care.

The following day, Durg Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) JP Meshram formed a team of health officials to investigate the incident after the child's grandfather Mahesh Verma, a resident of Devbaloda village, filed a complaint alleging negligence against the doctors and staff.

"The investigation by the health officials found that Drs. Samit Raj Prasad, Durga Soni, Hariram Yadu, and Girish Sahu, as well as three paramedical staff members named Vibha Sahu, Aarti Sahu, and Nirmala Yadav of Siddhi Vinayak Hospital, were negligent," the CSP said.

Based on the probe report, the seven persons will be booked under Indian Penal Code section 304A (causing death by negligence), the CSP said, adding that no one has been arrested in the matter as yet.

(With PTI inputs)