The death of 20 babies at District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, Pakpattan, has triggered a wave of outrage and controversy after the hospital’s internal inquiry committee submitted its report on five of the infant deaths that occurred on 19 June.
Hospital records show that 15 of the 20 children who died between 16 and 22 June were neonates or newborns. The convener of the inquiry committee, Dr Muhammad Muddasir, confirmed that all the 20 neonatal deaths occurred during this one-week period. Specialists emphasize that children of this age group are especially susceptible and need continuous and extensive medical attention.
Five children died in the paediatric ward of the hospital on 19 June. Families in distress took to the streets outside the hospital and blamed the doctors and paramedics of gross negligence and said that the lack of oxygen cylinders also led to the tragedy. The Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital, Dr Adnan, in turn, constituted a three-member internal inquiry committee on 21 June. The panel included Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Muddasir (convener), Chief Consultant Paediatrician Dr Muhammad Adnan, and Head Nurse Nighat Ara. The team established 20 deaths, 11 of which were newborns, four one-day-old babies, four infants of five months, and one five-year-old child.
Report Exonerates Doctors, Families Seek Independent Investigation
The internal investigation surprisingly exonerated the medical staff, saying that there was no negligence or lack of oxygen. The report alleged that all the children were brought in critical condition and had been taken care of by duty officers.
Nevertheless, the committee did find significant weaknesses in the documentation of these deaths. It instructed employees to clarify the lapses and advised a refresher course on the correct documentation procedures to the medical staff of the hospital.
This finding has added more sorrow and frustration to the bereaved families, most of whom are now calling on an independent and external investigation. The hospital administration has not been very vocal, and it has not provided a detailed explanation to the public despite the pressure.
Internal Strife and Administrative Backlash
In the midst of the controversy, the Secretary of Health and Population Dr Nadia Saqib paid a visit to the hospital, and the deaths were one of the major topics of discussion. There was tension within, with administrative and medical personnel pointing fingers at each other over the loss of 20 young lives.
In a major administrative action, the Medical Superintendent handed over the services of five officials of the administrative wing on the directive of the secretary. The officers who were relieved of duty were Finance and Budget Officer Zahid Saeed, Procurement Officer Abdul Basit, HR and Legal Officer Khurram Kiyani, Audit Officer Mazhar Saeed, and Logistics Officer Waleen Bin Malik.
This development raises additional questions. The inquiry report found no evidence of doctor negligence, but did stress poor paperwork. Why did the hospital solely hold administrative officers accountable?
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