Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla on Wednesday confirmed that immediate action has been taken following the tragic death of a newborn who was bitten by rats at Indore’s MY Hospital.
Two critically ill newborns in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) were reportedly bitten by rats between Sunday night and Monday morning. One of the infants succumbed to their condition on Tuesday, while the other remains on a ventilator.
Calling the incident “extremely serious,” Minister Shukla announced a series of disciplinary actions. The pest control agency responsible for the hospital has been fined ₹1 lakh and served a termination notice. Additionally, the nursing superintendent has been removed, two nursing officers have been suspended, and a show-cause notice has been issued to the Head of the Paediatrics Department.
“Rats entering the ICU indicates gross negligence. Pest control was clearly not done on time,” Shukla stated. A high-level committee has been formed to investigate the matter thoroughly, and the government has assured that stringent measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Dr. Arvind Ghanghoria, Dean of MY Hospital, confirmed the rat bites and said both infants were already in critical condition, suffering from severe infections and organ complications. One had undergone intestinal surgery, while the other, who was also diagnosed with pneumonia, died after being bitten on the hand.
Dr. Ghanghoria attributed the presence of rats to recent water logging caused by rains and a broken pipe in the hospital. He admitted that the on-duty staff failed to report the issue, leading to further negligence. The ICU nursing in-charge has received a show-cause notice, and further administrative actions are underway.
The hospital administration has warned the pest control agency of possible blacklisting if such lapses occur again.
