NEW DELHI: A six-day-old baby lost her life in the absence of a neonatal ventilator at a Delhi government-run hospital, sources said on Wednesday.
The incident took place at Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital on Tuesday in Jahangirpuri.
Born to 24-year-old Kavita, the infant was battling breathlessness and high fever. She was put on oxygen support, but without access to a neonatal ventilator, her condition deteriorated.
“Since no neonatal ventilator was available, we put the child on oxygen support and administered antibiotics. Her SPO2 level was maintained with the support of oxygen. But she died,” a doctor said.
Hospital’s Medical Superintendent Digbijoy Dutta said all nearby government hospitals, including Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Lok Nayak Hospital, were contacted but none of them responded positively. He said the hospital had only one ventilator bed, which was occupied by another patient.