
Doctor Accidentally Declares Newborn Infant Dead — And People Are Outraged
By Mustafa GatollariUpdated
One of the most stressful times during my life was watching my wife go through labor during the birth of our first child.
As much as I tried to keep cool and crack jokes and make her feel comfortable throughout the entire experience (I really didn't know how to handle it at all), I was definitely freaking out. So much so that I became an emotional void, and it burned me up that I couldn't feel anything. I can only imagine what my wife was experiencing during the entire ordeal, because there's no way I could ever understand what it's like to gestate a human being and undergo such excruciating pain, wondering and hoping the entire time both me and that kid are going to come out OK.
But I can fathom the horror this new mother felt when her doctor accidentally declared one of her babies was dead upon delivery.
#DeathDoctor and #KillerHospitals of India... One of a twin declared dead by Max Shalimar Bagh despite the child being alive. Wrapped in plastic for 45mins closed in a box, the boy was alive all along but pronounced dead! Doc now sent on leave.
— Anand Narasimhan (@AnchorAnandN) December 1, 2017
Max Shalimar, a doctor in India delivered twin children and mistakenly declared that one of the babies was dead. He put the infant's body in plastic and then in a box and didn't notice the kid was alive until 45 minutes later.
Horrified by the incident at Max Hospital. I shudder to think what would've happened if someone didn't notice it moving under the plastic.
— Abhishek Baxi (@baxiabhishek) December 1, 2017
The horror was palpable, even through the impersonal medium of modern social media.
People, understandably, wanted to know how the baby was faring.
Is baby doing well now? Please give us the update.
— Sujatha Pai (@sujathapai09) December 1, 2017
There are conflicting reports about the baby's health, however.
#DeathDoctor #KillerHospital Baby is fine. Is stable. Max quoted 'Care' cost of Rs 1L per day, charged Rs 35K per injection. Baby now in Agarwal Hospital 'Care' cost Rs 10k per day (NICU services) and Rs5k for medicines.
— Anand Narasimhan (@AnchorAnandN) December 1, 2017
Father of the infant who is being treated at Aggarwal Hospital, Pitampura, New Delhi, speaks to TIMES NOW, says the baby is critical since Max Hospital did not give treatment at right time #DeathDoctor
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) December 1, 2017
It was also pointed out that hospital protocol was breached in the doctor's declaration of the child's death. Two doctors are required to declare a baby dead officially, so some Twitter users wanted to know just how in the world one of the twins was declared dead by a single doctor.
The protocol is ..if some one is to be declared dead ...two doctors must certify it ....what the hell they were doing ? And what is this with DR sent on leave ..he should be put in jail ...! All cctv footage should be taken over by police hospital manages to distort it !
— Perry the Platypus (@anilkvdc) December 1, 2017
We consider doctors next to God but after today’s incidence of Max Shalimar Bagh what to say? Doctors act was wrong or he was under pressure frm management to extract maximum possible frm patients family? Whom to trust & whom to blame?
— Amit Bhatia (@iamamit74) December 1, 2017
Horrifying incident. Proper enquiry should be done in the matter and strictest action should be taken against those responsible. https://t.co/ce1Ly5S0IG
— Swati Jai Hind (@SwatiJaiHind) December 1, 2017
The outrageous incident got so much press that not only was Shalimar placed on leave, but the Delhi government is now being asked to intervene and conduct an official investigation as to who is at fault.
Very unfortunate incident, have asked Delhi government to look into it the matter and take necessary action: Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Max Hospital medical negligence issue: ANI
— TOI Delhi (@TOIDelhi) December 1, 2017
Sought a report on shocking criminal negligence byMaxHospitalShalimar Bagh & directed Dept to conduct a inquiry into this unacceptable act
— Satyendar Jain (@SatyendarJain) December 1, 2017
If the inquiry is entertained and Shalimar and the hospital are found guilty of wrongdoing, some strong actions can be taken against them.
Enquiry ordered. Strongest action wud be taken if found guilty https://t.co/prSLonNlkJ
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 1, 2017
Max Healthcare, the company that manages the Hospital Shalimar works in, issued a statement on the premature birth of the two twins.
— Max Healthcare (@MaxHealthcare) December 1, 2017
According to their information, the twins were born prematurely, one was a stillbirth and Doctor Shalimar must've assumed the other was, too.
So much for the hippocratic oath.