The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the reported death of a newborn in Haryana after the infant allegedly failed to receive ventilator support for nearly 24 hours despite being taken to three hospitals across Hisar and Rohtak districts.
The Commission has issued a notice to the Haryana chief secretary, seeking a detailed report on the incident within two weeks.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NHRC observed that if the allegations reported in the media are true, they raise serious concerns regarding the violation of the child’s human rights and the failure of the public healthcare system.
According to the Commission, the infant’s father made desperate efforts to secure ventilator support, taking the newborn from one hospital to another in Hisar and Rohtak districts, but was unable to obtain the required life-saving treatment, ultimately resulting in the child’s death.
The NHRC took cognisance of the matter based on media reports published on July 3.
According to the reports, the baby was born through a caesarean section at the Civil Hospital in Hisar on July 1 and required immediate ventilator support after birth. While the mother remained admitted at the Civil Hospital, doctors initially referred the newborn to the Medical College at Agroha in Hisar district. However, after it was reportedly confirmed that no ventilator was available there either, the infant was referred to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak.
The child allegedly could not receive ventilator support at PGIMS as well. The family subsequently brought the newborn back to Hisar and admitted the infant to a private hospital, where doctors declared the baby dead.
{{/usCountry}}The child allegedly could not receive ventilator support at PGIMS as well. The family subsequently brought the newborn back to Hisar and admitted the infant to a private hospital, where doctors declared the baby dead.
{{/usCountry}}Taking serious note of the incident, the NHRC has sought a comprehensive report from the Haryana government detailing the circumstances that led to the tragedy and the action taken in the matter. The Commission said the incident, if substantiated, reflects a grave lapse in the delivery of critical healthcare services and raises significant human rights concerns.