A tragic incident occurred at Kasturba Gandhi Hospital in Old Delhi on Thursday, August 22, where a newborn died reportedly due to the unavailability of power backup during a planned power outage. The incident has prompted Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi to order a thorough investigation by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to determine the cause of the infant’s death.
The planned power cut, scheduled to last for 7.5 hours, was part of routine maintenance work. However, concerns arose when it was alleged that the outage led to the death of a newborn due to a lack of adequate power backup. Social media users highlighted the situation, claiming that the hospital staff had to deliver babies under torchlight. This claim drew significant attention and criticism.
In response, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi issued a directive to the MCD Commissioner, emphasizing the need for an immediate and detailed inquiry into the matter. The order requested the Commissioner to identify the root cause of the incident and ensure that appropriate actions are taken to prevent such occurrences in the future.
The MCD has refuted allegations of deliveries being conducted under torchlight. According to an official statement, power backup was maintained in the operation theater throughout the outage. The hospital reportedly had three deliveries on that day, with two occurring in daylight and one in the evening after the power supply was restored. The corporation has denied that any deliveries were performed under inadequate lighting.
Regarding the death of the newborn, the MCD stated that the infant, who was delivered in the evening, was immediately placed on a ventilator in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) due to respiratory issues. The ventilator was reportedly functioning correctly throughout the power cut. Despite the ongoing support, the infant, who was in critical condition from birth, unfortunately passed away after five days on the ventilator.
The civic body had issued a circular the day before the outage, informing the hospital administration about the planned power cut and instructing them to make necessary arrangements. The circular aimed to ensure that all essential services, including those in the NICU, were adequately supported during the outage.
The investigation ordered by Mayor Oberoi seeks to address these issues comprehensively and ensure accountability, with the aim of preventing similar incidents in the future and improving the hospital’s preparedness for such emergencies.
