Doctor, nurse placed under APO; probe ordered after family alleges denial of care
Kota (Rajasthan) – In a heart-wrenching incident, a newborn baby died at a government sub-district hospital in Jhalawar district after the on-duty doctor allegedly refused to attend to the infant during the night. The incident occurred between Thursday night and early Friday morning, triggering public outrage and an official inquiry.
The baby’s father, Mahendra Singh, a resident of Chokdi village under Dug police station limits, had admitted his wife Bhawana Kanwar (30) to the Dug sub-district hospital around 9 pm on Thursday. She gave birth to a baby boy at approximately 10 pm.
Negligence Alleged in Critical Hours
At about 3 am on Friday, the newborn began crying inconsolably, prompting the family to seek help. According to the family, when they alerted on-duty nursing staffer Prashant Mehar, he refused to call the doctor and instead instructed them to visit the paediatrician’s residence.
The family rushed to the residence of Dr Mukesh Bhardwaj, the on-call paediatrician, but alleged that he did not respond despite repeated knocking. Left with no other option, they returned to the hospital.
By the time Dr Bhardwaj arrived at 8 am and examined the infant, the baby had already passed away, hospital officials confirmed.
Administrative Action and Inquiry
Taking serious note of the allegations, Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Dr Sazid Khan, placed both Dr Bhardwaj and nursing staffer Mehar under Awaiting Posting Orders (APO) on Friday. He also announced the formation of a three-member committee to probe the matter.
“Strict action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry,” Dr Khan said, promising transparency and accountability.
Pattern of Negligence in Public Health Facilities
This is the latest in a series of disturbing incidents involving alleged medical negligence in government hospitals. As previously reported by Medical Dialogues, the death of a 2-year-old girl in Patiala’s Mata Kaushalya Hospital due to diarrhoea also sparked an inquiry against a female doctor for reported lapses in care.
The latest tragedy has raised fresh concerns about emergency responsiveness and staff accountability in rural public healthcare facilities, particularly during night hours.
