The Delhi Children's Hospital, where seven babies died in a massive fire on Saturday night, was embroiled in controversy in the past as well. According to reports, Baby Care New Born Hospital in East Delhi's Vivek Vihar was being run "illegally" flaunting rules and regulations. Earlier in 2021, the staff of the hospital was accused of assaulting a baby during treatment.
A case was registered following the viral security camera footage showing a nurse beating a baby, resulting in the boy's fractured hand. The First Information Report (FIR) also claimed that the hospital was unregistered. A Muslim family had admitted their child to the hospital owned by Dr Naveen Khich for treatment. A Kashmiri nurse working at the hospital beat the baby. After the video of this incident surfaced, the police filed a case against the nurse, arrested her, and sent her to jail, as per a report by Dainik Jagran.
Even after the said incident, the health department did not cancel the license of the hospital. Dr. Naveen was licensed to keep only five infants during that time. Gradually, 14 beds were made in the hospital illegally. The police have now also received information that 20-25 babies were kept in the hospital, the report added.
Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj calls meeting
Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has called for a meeting on Monday to discuss the east Delhi hospital fire that killed seven newborns, officials said. The meeting will be held at the Delhi Secretariat and Health department officials will be present, they said and added that there will also be discussions on the ongoing heatwave conditions.
The private neonatal hospital in Vivek Vihar where seven newborns died and five were injured in the blaze was operating despite the expiry of its license. It also did not have qualified doctors and no clearance from the Fire department, police said. The police have arrested Dr Naveen Khichi, the hospital's owner, and Dr Aaksh -- who was on duty at the time of the fire late on Saturday.
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