Newborn mistakenly declared dead dies

Hospital management labels condition as Lazarus syndrome, submitted a sealed inquiry report to Secretary of Health

RAWALPINDI:

A newborn baby, declared dead by Holy Family Hospital and handed over to parents with an official death certificate, remained alive for over 12 hours on and off a ventilator before passing away. Punjab Healthcare Commission has taken notice and launched an inquiry, while the hospital termed the incident Lazarus syndrome.

According to details, premature twins — a boy and a girl — were born to Rubina at Izzat Shah Hospital in Lala Rukh, Wah Cantt, and later shifted to Holy Family Hospital via ambulance. On December 31, 2025, doctors admitted the baby girl while declaring the boy dead and issuing a formal death certificate, which included written instructions to hand over the body to the family.

However, when the baby was shifted into the ambulance, a jolt caused the infant to start breathing.

Oxygen was immediately administered, and the parents returned to Holy Family Hospital carrying both the living baby and the death certificate.

The baby was placed on a ventilator, and breathing was restored.

Hospital management labelled the condition as Lazarus syndrome and submitted a sealed inquiry report to the Secretary of Health.

After surviving for more than 12 hours, the baby eventually died, and the body was handed over to the parents. The twin sister remains under treatment at Holy Family Hospital.

Punjab Healthcare Commission has formed an inquiry committee headed by Deputy Director Humayun Anwar and sought medical records from both Holy Family Hospital and Izzat Shah Hospital.