Listing a series of violations, the Delhi government on Friday cancelled the licence of Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, almost 10 days after a baby declared dead by the hospital was found to be alive.
Announcing the decision to cancel the hospital’s licence, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the final report of an inquiry by the Directorate General of Health Services that was submitted to him had found the hospital at fault. Patients already admitted would be given a choice to be transferred or complete their treatment at the hospital, while no new patients would be treated.
The inquiry panel found that the staff nurses had handed over the bodies of the baby boy and his stillborn twin sister without written directions from a paediatrician and had missed the “signs of life”.
The hospital had also entered the baby boy’s name in a register of stillbirths, the inquiry found, leading the DGHS to say it was prima facie a case of medical negligence.
The cancellation order cites the hospital’s violation of rules for treating patients from economically weaker sections (EWS) as well as increasing the number of beds for dengue and chikungunya patients, but using it to treat other ailments. While the Delhi Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1953, requires the government to give 30 days’ notice before cancelling a licence, Mr. Jain said “notice can be given for a shorter time also”.
‘Ruling harsh’
Max Healthcare authorities called the ruling “harsh” and that they would “explore all options available”, but the family of the infant welcomed the decision and called off their protest outside the hospital demanding justice.
