The state-run Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital here today issued notices to 14 staffers in connection with the death of a newborn baby allegedly due to negligence by a nurse.
"A two-day-old boy got injured on December 17 after a hospital nurse pulled away the bed sheet on which he was sleeping. The baby died the next day during treatment following which a probe in the matter was initiated yesterday," said hospital superintendent AD Bhatnagar.
"The hospital administration today issued notices to 14 staff members in this regard. They have been asked to reply within 24 hours on the circumstances under which the newborn baby died and why the matter was not expeditiously informed to the hospital administration," he said.
"As per the preliminary investigation, a B.Sc (nursing) girl student is behind the tragedy. However, the nurse has not been identified yet," he said.
The infant was born in the hospital on December 15 and his parents hail from Shajapur district of the state, he said.
The body of the infant was handed over to his family members without a post-mortem, he said, adding that the family members had stated in writing that they did not want to lodge a police case.
Amulya Nidhi, a member of NGO 'Swasthya Adhikar Manch', said, "The death of the newborn boy is a serious matter. The hospital administration should have identified the culprit by now. But it is only dilly-dallying in the name of a probe."
He demanded a prompt investigation and strict punishment for anybody found to be guilty.
Head Constable Sharad Kumar at the hospital's police post had said that police was neither informed in writing or orally about the matter.
"Besides, the family members of the deceased also haven't lodged a complaint with us," he said. "We have come to know that the deceased has been laid to rest. In the midst of this, we can't proceed in the absence of a complaint or directive," he added.
