Behrampur: A probe has been initiated following a deeply troubling incident at MKCG Medical College and Hospital, where two postnatal mothers were reportedly forced to carry their intubated newborns—both sharing a single oxygen cylinder—to the hospital’s super-speciality block for echocardiogram (ECHO) tests.
The incident occurred on Monday and drew widespread attention after the mothers were seen carrying their infants, each fitted with nasal tubes connected to the same oxygen source. One of the women, from Padadigi village in Patrapur block, Ganjam, had delivered a baby boy eight days earlier. The second woman, from Badapada village in Nuagada block, Gajapati, had given birth to a baby girl 14 days ago. Both newborns were under treatment in different neonatal units of the hospital.
Doctors had reportedly recommended ECHO tests for both babies, and a class IV hospital staff member was assigned to assist the mothers and transport the oxygen cylinder. However, after dragging the cylinder part of the way, the staffer allegedly abandoned the task, leaving the mothers’ relatives to carry the heavy equipment the rest of the distance.
The incident triggered public outrage, prompting Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) and chairman of the hospital’s managing committee to order a full investigation. The RDC also directed hospital superintendent Dr. Durga Madhab Satapathy to submit a detailed report.
“We will investigate every aspect—whether it was due to staff mismanagement, technical failure, or shortage of resources. Accountability will be established,” said the RDC, as quoted by Odisha TV.
Hospital authorities are now facing increased scrutiny, with mounting criticism over the lack of infrastructure, inadequate staffing, and lapses in neonatal care protocols. The event has also intensified calls for improved monitoring systems to ensure patient safety, especially in critical care scenarios involving newborns.
In response to the controversy, Dr. Satapathy clarified that both infants maintained stable oxygen saturation levels during the transfer and confirmed that new guidelines have been issued to the Paediatric department, strictly prohibiting the shared use of oxygen cylinders for any patient going forward.
