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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 9:59:04 pm

Fatal Negligence

Newborns dying in a fire inside a government hospital is a devastating indictment of a system that is supposed to protect its most vulnerable patients. The Amravati District Women’s Hospital tragedy, where a blaze killed three infants, joins a long list of preventable institutional failures. Thirty-nine babies were inside the three-compartment facility when the fire erupted after a ventilator in the neonatal unit caught fire. Thirty-six were eventually rescued. Parents and eyewitnesses have...

Fatal Negligence

Newborns dying in a fire inside a government hospital is a devastating indictment of a system that is supposed to protect its most vulnerable patients. The Amravati District Women’s Hospital tragedy, where a blaze killed three infants, joins a long list of preventable institutional failures. Thirty-nine babies were inside the three-compartment facility when the fire erupted after a ventilator in the neonatal unit caught fire. Thirty-six were eventually rescued. Parents and eyewitnesses have alleged that the fire alarms did not sound and the automatic sprinklers failed to activate even as the district administration has said the hospital underwent regular fire audits and had applied for this year’s audit. An audit is meaningful only if it establishes that equipment works when lives depend on it. Maharashtra has already witnessed the deadly consequences of fire-safety failures in public hospitals. In 2021, eleven Covid-19 patients died in a fire at the Ahmednagar district hospital even though a fire audit conducted months earlier had recommended a firefighting system. The Amravati tragedy demands more than the familiar ritual of a high-level inquiry, compensation and promises of “strictest action”. The announcement of ex gratia payments cannot compensate parents who have lost a child they had barely begun to know. The investigation must establish not merely what ignited the fire, but why it was allowed to become fatal. Was the ventilator properly maintained? Were electrical and medical devices routinely inspected? Did alarms function? Were sprinklers operational? Was the NICU appropriately located and equipped for evacuation? Were staff trained and drills conducted? And most importantly, who was responsible for ensuring that every safeguard worked? There is another troubling detail: the neonatal unit was reportedly housed on the third floor, rather than at ground level, and questions have arisen over whether the unit was part of the building’s original plan. The state has built an elaborate architecture of laws and child-protection standards which seldom matches the situation on ground. Whether in government hospitals, schools or anganwadis, safety has become a box to be ticked rather than a responsibility to be lived. The most vulnerable children are consequently left dependent not on systems, but on the vigilance and heroism of individual staff members. That is an appalling way to run the childcare infrastructure of one India’s most developed states. A NICU is perhaps the worst possible place for institutional complacency: its patients are immobile, medically dependent and extraordinarily vulnerable to smoke, heat and even brief disruption of life-support equipment. The government must ensure that the Amravati deaths do not become another entry in the grim ledger of hospital tragedies followed by inquiries, outrage and forgetting. The real test will be whether the state can prevent the next newborn from dying in a hospital that was supposed to save him.

Uddhav, Raj hoping for political miracle

Mumbai: Former Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray was seen glowing as he celebrated his ‘Sapphire’ (65th) birthday with his family plus a huge crowd of supporters.

 

The revelry became a major political event when in walked his cousin and ex-bete-noire, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray, who is said to stepped inside his erstwhile home of Matoshri after almost six years; the last occasion was to invite Uddhav and family for son Amit’s wedding (January 2019).

 

Lot of water has flowed in the Mithi River since – two Lok Sabha and two Assembly elections, the 2019 state polls saw a reluctant Uddhav suddenly catapulted to the CM’s throne – while Raj continued to play musical chairs and video clips.

 

After the cake-cutting and ‘say cheese’ instances, the most-anticipated moment came – when the cousin brothers went in for private confabulations, as party leaders and workers strained their eyes and ears.

 

However, belying the salubrious political ambience of the past few weeks, there were no earth-shattering announcements, barring Raj calling Uddhav his ‘bandhu’ and – most importantly – declaring him as the ‘Shiv Sena Chief’, besides laudatory social media posts from both sides.

  

Public perception

Weighing heavily are aspects like the public perception of the MNS which recently whipped up bad blood for enforcing Marathi language on non-speakers, leading to an outcry.

 

The SS (UBT) is also wary about the prospects of losing its minority and North Indian supporters given the MNS’ shrill campaigns targeting loudspeakers in mosques or attacking ‘outsiders’ coming to appear for various job-oriented public examinations in Maharashtra.

 

The other Maharashtra Vikas Allies (MVA) like Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP) have not exactly danced with joy at the proposed SS(UBT)-MNS pact, with leaders privately questioning the MNS’ political strength and credibility given Raj’s mercurial behaviour in the past 15 years.

 

Avoiding a direct response whether MNS could be included in the MVA bloc, senior functionaries of Congress-NCP (SP) pass the buck, saying “it’s upto the top leaders to decide” in the overall interest of the state.

 

The successful birthday bash on July 27 notwithstanding, the real celebrations - or prospects of 1+1=11 expressed by a MNS leader - remain a distant dream.

 

Cautious optimism over political handshake

Party leaders on both sides who spoke with ‘The Perfect Voice’ sought to downplay media speculation of a ‘resumption of political partnership’, with one MNS office-bearer even asking, “When did the talks stop?” and a SS (UBT) prominent one wondering what was the immediate occasion for ‘tie-up’ as the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are due after four years.

 

“The political alliance talks are still at a nascent stage… There’s a long road to cover. The upcoming civic polls are a close target to clinch it, but a lot of groundwork is needed,” a SS (UBT) leader said guardedly.

 

“That is true… We have to clear up many issues before a formal partnership is born. Both sides are working on it, adopting a practical approach but without expecting miracles,” a MNS leader said cautiously.

 

No one had any idea Raj would visit Uddhav

No one had any idea that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray would arrive at Matoshree to wish Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray on his 65th birthday, the latter's party mouthpiece 'Saamana' said on Monday.


The Saamana report said MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar called Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut informing him that Raj is visiting Matoshree in Bandra East to wish Uddhav.


The report said Raj left Shivthirth, his residence in Shivaji Park in Dadar, at 11.30 am. Raut, also Saamana's executive editor, then informed Uddhav about Raj's visit.


When Raj reached Matoshree at 12 noon on Sunday, Uddhav welcomed him at the entrance. Both the cousins then went to the seat that was used by Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and paid respect.


In a related development, BJP minister Nitish Rane said there is no reason for anyone to feel sad about anyone if the family has come together.


But Raj has to be appreciated for showing a big heart, he said. 

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