A family in Madhya Pradesh has alleged that their nine-day-old baby sustained burn injuries while undergoing phototherapy for jaundice at the government-run Birsa Munda Medical College and Hospital in Shahdol. The hospital, however, has denied these claims, attributing the infant’s condition to a skin disorder, police said on Saturday.
The incident came to light on Friday when the infant’s family caused a commotion at the hospital, accusing the medical staff of negligence and claiming that the baby had been burned due to incorrect treatment during phototherapy. In response, hospital authorities contacted the police to manage the situation.
Inspector Bhupendra Mani Pandey of Sohagpur police station reported that the baby, born on August 23 at the Birsa Munda Medical College and Hospital, was placed under a phototherapy machine two days later to treat neonatal jaundice, a common condition in newborns.
However, according to the family, shortly after the treatment began, the baby developed burns on his face and back. They accused the medical staff of mishandling the treatment, leading to the injuries.
Dr. Nagendra Singh, the medical officer at the hospital, refuted these allegations, explaining that the baby had developed rashes on his back and face after being placed in the phototherapy machine. He stated that dermatologists diagnosed the condition as a skin syndrome unrelated to the phototherapy treatment. Dr. Singh also noted that the baby's hemoglobin levels were found to be below normal.
"We recommended the family transfer the baby to Jabalpur Medical College and Hospital for more advanced care, but instead, they caused a disturbance here," Dr. Singh said.
Following the altercation, the newborn was transferred to Kushabhau Thakre District Hospital for further treatment. The police on other hand added that they are currently investigating the claims made by both the family and the hospital.
(With inputs from PTI)
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