Hamidia Hospital controversy escalates after alive newborn declared dead:Infant showed movement, sparking family outrage

A major controversy erupted at Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal after a newborn, declared dead by doctors, allegedly showed signs of movement shortly afterwards. The incident occurred on Friday following the emergency delivery of a six-month pregnant woman. Doctors initially informed the family that the baby was stillborn, but when the infant appeared to show heartbeat-like signs, relatives grew angry and created a ruckus in the hospital. Second such incident in three days This is the second such case reported at the hospital within three days. A similar incident on Wednesday involved a newborn girl who was declared dead but was later claimed by family members to be breathing. Protests by relatives continued at the hospital until midnight, raising serious concerns about medical procedures and accountability. Emergency delivery conducted to save mother According to reports, a woman named Mantasha was brought to Block-2 of the hospital around 4 PM on Friday in critical condition. She was about six months pregnant, and the baby’s head had already emerged upon arrival. Doctors immediately conducted an emergency delivery in the labor room. After the procedure, they informed the family that the baby had been born dead. However, shortly afterwards, the infant showed slight movement, triggering outrage among the family members. Police intervention required after protest As tensions escalated, hospital authorities called in the police. Koh-e-Fiza police station in-charge K.G. Shukla reached the spot and tried to pacify the agitated relatives, eventually bringing the situation under control. The incident has once again raised questions about the hospital’s functioning and handling of critical cases. Hospital explains it as ‘abortus’ case Hospital authorities clarified that such cases are medically termed “abortus,” which occur when a fetus is delivered before 20 weeks or weighs less than 500 grams. In such situations, it is possible for the newborn’s body to show brief movements after birth due to biological reflexes. However, survival chances are extremely low as vital organs are not fully developed. Premature birth, underdeveloped lungs A senior gynecologist at the hospital stated that around 20 deliveries take place daily, and such cases appear every few days. In this instance, the baby’s lungs were not fully developed, making survival impossible. Doctors added that delaying delivery could have posed a serious risk to the mother’s life, which is why immediate action was taken. Postmortem suggested, family refuses To address the family’s concerns, hospital authorities suggested a postmortem examination. However, the relatives declined. Following protocol, the body of the newborn was handed over to the family. Earlier case raised similar concerns In Wednesday’s incident, a newborn was declared dead and even issued a death certificate. However, family members claimed that when they went to collect the body from the NICU hours later, the baby appeared to be breathing. They recorded a video showing movement in the infant’s abdomen, further intensifying concerns about hospital procedures. Growing concerns over hospital practices With two similar incidents reported within days, questions are being raised about diagnosis protocols and communication with families at Hamidia Hospital. Authorities may now face increased scrutiny as concerns over medical negligence continue to grow.