KEM mishap: Two-month-old in critical condition

Under treatment for 13 days, two-month-old Prince Rajbhar, who suffered 22% burns after a short-circuit caused a fire in the intensive care unit (ICU) of King Edward

Under treatment for 13 days, two-month-old Prince Rajbhar, who suffered 22% burns after a short-circuit caused a fire in the intensive care unit (ICU) of King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Parel, is in critical condition, said doctors.

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“We have informed the child’s parents that his condition is critical. His blood pressure is fluctuating between 80mm and 100mm of mercury. He is kept on ventilator support,” said Dr Hemant Deshmukh, dean of KEM Hospital.

The infant was brought to the hospital in the first week of November after he was diagnosed with a congenital heart disease at their hometown, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The mishap took place on November 7, causing the nodes of the ECG machine to melt, and leaving the left side of the child’s hand and face burnt. On November 11, the child underwent a surgery to amputate his left forearm.

On Wednesday, the infant underwent a checkup, as pneumonia patches were found in his lungs. Doctors performed a minor procedure to add a special IV line to his thigh. But his condition started to deteriorate in the evening. Despite repeated attempts, Pannelal Rajbhar, the father of the child, couldn’t be reached. His uncle, Sitaram Rajbhar, said, “We haven’t been allowed the see the child. We have been told that his blood pressure is fluctuating. We are just praying.”

Meanwhile, the BMC administration on Wednesday agreed to the group leaders’ demand to sanction ₹10 lakh compensation the family. While ₹5 lakh will be given immediately, the remainder will be deposited in Prince’s account and can be claimed after he turns 18. Along with Rajbhar, kin of victim Rajesh Maru, who died after being pulled into the MRI machine at Nair Hospital in January last year, will also get a ₹10 lakh compensation. Following severe criticism from corporators, the administration has decided to frame a compensation policy.

Corporators also opposed the idea of appointing local ward officers of the civic body as interim chief executive officers (CEOs) of four major civic-run hospitals in the city, stating this will increase their work, making them unavailable for citizens in the ward. They have also stated that the hospitals will not get dedicated administrators if local ward officers are elected as CEOs.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday handed over the interim responsibility of KEM Hospital in Parel and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Sion to Kiran Dighavkar, ward officer, G-North ward. Prashant Sakpale, ward officer, K-East ward will handle the responsibility of Dr RN Cooper Municipal General Hospital, Vile Parle, and Devidas Kshirsagar, ward officer, P-South ward, will look after the administrative work at BYL Nair Hospital and Nair Dental College at Mumbai Central. The final appointments will be done in three months.

Ravi Raja, leader of Opposition in BMC and Congress corporator, said all civic-run hospitals require dedicated administrators. Vishaka Raut, Shiv Sena coporator, also questioned the move, saying it will add “excessive load” on ward officers.

Inputs from Mehul R Thakkar and Sagar Pillai