Medical negligence: Newborn baby pronounced dead by hospital, rescued by grandmother in Bhilwara

J​aipur/Bhilwara: In yet another case of medical negligence, a newborn baby, who was declared dead by Mahatma Gandhi District Hospital's staff in Bhilwara district, found alive on the way to his burial recently. At around 10:30 am, Gajri (22), wife of Pappu gave birth to a seven-month-old premature baby. According to the newborn's family, the hospital's negligence came to light when the baby, who was pronounced dead on delivery, was found alive at burial time. Prem Devi, Gajri's mother told mediapersons that they staff prononunced the baby dead and handed over the body to them. The parents of the baby were also asked to declare that the baby was dead in the Janani Suraksha form. After filling up forms and completing formalities, the heart-broken parents started preparations for baby's cremation but on the way to the village they realised that the baby was breathing. As soon as the new born baby's grandmother (Gujri's mother) picked up the baby, she saw the baby's eyes moving slightly and realized that the baby was breathing. "Staff said our child was dead. We were on our way to the cremation ground when I sensed movement," said Prem Devi Gurjar, new-born baby's grandmother. On discovering that their baby was still alive, they rushed back to the hospital where the staff immediately took the baby with them to NICU. Now, the condition of the child is said to be stable. "An infant's heart beats 120-140 times a minute. At times, during electronic check-up, it depicts the child is dead. But as the baby gets more oxygen, the body produces hormones. A new-born should never be declared dead minutes after birth," said Rajesh Chapparwal, pediatrician (retd).