NHRC notice to Madhya Pradesh officials over death of infants after rat bites at Indore hospital

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh authorities in connection with the death of two infants after being gnawed upon by rats at Indore’s government-run Maharaja Yeshwantrao (MY) Hospital. 

The September 5 notice has been issued to the Principal Secretary, Public Health and Medical Education Department, Madhya Pradesh government, and Indore District Collector, following a complaint on September 3 from a non-profit organisation Network for Access to Justice. 

As per the notice, the NHRC has asked the authorities to investigate the matter and submit an action-taken report within 10 days. 

On August 30 and 31, at least two newborns — both girls — were bitten by rats inside the neo-natal ICU of the MY Hospital, one of Madhya Pradesh’s largest government-run medical facilities. The two children subsequently died on September 2 and 3, with the hospital administration attributing the deaths to pneumonia and septicaemia, respectively. 

Even as the doctors continue to insist that the rat bites have not caused the deaths and that the children were already critical due to multiple congenital anomalies, the family of one of the victims has accused the hospital administration of negligence and keeping them in the dark and not informing them about their child’s death for five days. The parents also refuted the hospital administration’s earlier claims that they had abandoned the child after admitting her at the hospital. 

Protest by parents

The child’s parents, from neighbouring Dhar district, staged a protest at the hospital along with Congress and the Jay Adivasi Yuva Shakti Sangathan (JAYS) workers on Saturday, after which the authorities announced a financial aid of ₹5 lakh for the kin. 

On Sunday, the family performed the last rites of their daughter in Dhar’s Roopwara village, with local reports claiming that four fingers on one of her hands were found to be gnawed upon by rats when the body was uncovered. 

In the notice, the NHRC said, “The complainant stated that this horrifying event highlights gross medical negligence and a complete failure to ensure basic hygiene and patient safety. Such a lapse not only breaches the trust of citizens in public healthcare but also constitutes a serious violation of the Right to Life and Health under Article 21 of the Constitution.”

Saying that the families of the children have suffered irreparable loss, the complainant said the incident underscored the urgent need for accountability. 

“Immediate measures must be taken to improve sanitation, pest control, and overall safety standards in government hospitals across the State. The allegations made in the complaint prima facie seem to be serious violations of the human rights of the victims,” the Commission said. 

Speaking to The Hindu, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said such incidents revealed “a pathetic state of affairs” at government hospitals in the State, while also pointing out that “no action has been taken against any senior official in the matter.  

Mr. Kanoongo said, “If the action is only taken against a company that provides manpower and some nursing staff, nothing is going to improve. For the system to be fixed, accountability has to be fixed from the top.” 

Following the controversy over the incident, the hospital administration had suspended two nursing staff while the nursing superintendent was removed from the post. A fine of ₹1 lakh was also imposed on a private firm, contracted for pest control and cleaning at the facility.