ACs in NICU, Ara Sadar Hospital, out of order, 7 newborns die

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : The ACs in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Ara Sadar Hospital are out of order for the last one week allegedly leading to death of seven newborns admitted to the ward. But, the hospital administration denied it saying the condition of these newborn children was critical resulting in their death. All these neoborns were ill since their birth and were admitted to the NICIU, the hospital authorities claimed.

The then Health Minister, Bihar Ram Dhani Singh, had inaugurated an NICU equipped with latest gadgets and ACs at Ara Sadar hospital in 2014. This NICU had two wards: one for the newborns and the other for the patients coming from outside. The ACs in the NICU went out of order and the newborns faced a lot of problems and seven out of 10 admitted there died due to heat and humidity, alleged Sudarshan of Ahirpurwas, Ara, Surendra Ram of Bheempur and Shinti Devi of Tarachak villages.

Deputy Superintendent (DS), Ara Sadar Hospital, Dr Satish Kumar Sinha said that the newborns  died not due to heat and humidity and for want of oxygen but they were unhealthy since their birth. He said that all of them were referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital earlier but the family members did not take them there. He added that the ACs were being replaced in the NICU.