Compensation must not trump probe
The findings of Ad-din Medical College Hospital’s internal investigation into the deaths of six newborns on May 27 comes as a surprise. The hospital probe committee blamed the deaths only on two lower-level staff members: a nurse for not properly monitoring the newborns, and a janitor for not being responsible enough in transferring the babies from the post-operative ward to emergency. This finding is in stark contrast with the Directorate General of Health Services’ (DGHS) investigation, which found several instances of negligence not just by the hospital’s nurses and staff, but by the hospital authorities and the absent on-duty physician. The DGHS probe also pointed to overcrowding in the post-operative room and the lack of an alternative ventilation system when the air conditioner was switched off.
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When the two findings are compared, it becomes obvious that the hospital is trying to shift the entire blame onto two people who played relatively insignificant roles. This appears to be a blatant attempt by the hospital to absolve its management of any corporate responsibility for the newborns' deaths. What adds another layer to this deflection of accountability is Saturday’s press conference, organised by Supreme Court lawyer Shishir Manir, who claimed to be acting as a pro bono mediator between the hospital management and the victims’ families. There, in the presence of both the hospital management and the victims’ families, Manir announced discussions on a compensation package for the families, and on Sunday, it was announced that the hospital would provide each family with Tk 80 lakh. However, at the conference, Manir said the victims’ families wanted those responsible for the deaths to be punished but did not want the hospital’s services to be suspended. Later, the lawyer also termed the DGHS’ show-cause notice to Ad-din hospital as “unlawful,” adding that the hospital would seek a personal hearing with the DGHS regarding the notice. This raises several questions.
First, how can mediation between the aggrieved party and the defendant take place when a family member of one of the victims has already filed a criminal negligence case against the hospital? Manir said the mediation would not affect the ongoing criminal investigation. However, given the corporate conglomerate that owns the foundation running Ad-din, his claim appears far-fetched in the context of our country's reality. Besides, a mediator’s role is supposed to be neutral, so it is unclear how he can call the government’s action against a private entity “unlawful.”
The deaths of six newborns within a span of two to three hours in a hospital room require a proper investigation, not a face-saving operation that scapegoats the easiest targets. While we are not asking that private medical facilities offering low-cost treatment be shuttered, their charitable services cannot be an excuse for running low-quality or substandard facilities. We cannot afford to continue overlooking the alleged medical negligence. The government should remain firm in its stance, and take the necessary and appropriate measures so that incidents like the one at Ad-din hospital never occur again.
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