NICU sealed at hospital where newborn suffered burns

Regulator skeptical of staff statements, CCTV footage

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) said on Friday that it had sealed the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a private hospital where a newborn was badly burnt.

The authority's inspection team made a second visit to the private hospital on Lehtar Road and sealed the unit where the incident took place ‘to facilitate a transparent investigation’. It had previously sealed the operation theatre at the hospital.

In its preliminary report, the IHRA said that it found the staff negligent, and the equipment below par or dysfunctional, while suggesting that the statements given by the staff members were inconsistent. It also suggested evidence tampering and doctoring of information on the part of the hospital administration. The reported noted that the hospital wasn’t registered with the IHRA.

According to the report, there were six patients admitted to the NICU at the time of the visit. From July 1 onwards, a total of 24 patients had been admitted to the neonatal unit.

The team discovered that the baby warmers were operated manually.

The report indicates that the incident occurred at 4:30pm. However, the footage provided by the hospital administration displays the time as 8:27pm.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2023.