Baby death case: NHRC notice to Union & Delhi Health secy

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to Union Health secretary and Delhi government Health secretary over the death of a day-old baby after being refused treatment by three leading government-run hospitals in the national capital.

Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports in this regard, the Commission observed that denial of the right to health, especially, in case of a newly born is a serious condition and is "abominable".

The baby, born prematurely with respiratory complications and weak organs, died in his parents' arms on July 6 after two leading government-run hospitals refused treatment while a third made them wait.
 

The Commission said that the child needed special care, including a ventilator for further treatment but could not get admitted for treatment.

"In the process (hospital shifting), they (parents) had travelled more than three and half hours covering a distance of about 58 km. The delay in the treatment resulted in the death of the child in the ambulance itself," it said.