Prince Rajbhar, the two-month-old baby who had suffered burns due to a fire in the ECG cord at Parel’s KEM Hospital, lost his left arm due to the injuries. Doctors carried out the amputation procedure on Monday evening.
Hospital’s dean Dr. Hemant Deshmukh said the burn injuries led to ischemia (restriction of blood supply to the tissues) and amputation thus became necessary. “His condition remains critical due to his heart and lung ailment. He is on a high dose of antibiotics,” said Dr. Deshmukh.
Born on August 15 in Mau district of Uttar Pradesh, baby Prince was detected with a congenital heart condition due to which his parents decided to bring him to Mumbai for better treatment. “But instead of getting better, he is now in the worst condition. With this amputation, his future is at stake,” said the baby’s father Pannelal Rajbhar. The amputation has been carried out slightly above the elbow, he said, and the final decision to go ahead with the procedure was taken on Monday. “His condition continues to be delicate and he is on a ventilator,” he said.
Prince was admitted to KEM Hospital on November 5 in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. A multi-para monitor was attached to him with several cables to keep a tab on his parameters. One of them, the ECG cable, caught fire on November 7 at around 3 a.m., causing burns to his arm, scalp and shoulder.
Mr. Rajbhar said the hospital and the Corporation should ensure that the baby’s future is secure. “They say the fire occurred due to a short circuit. But the fact that it happened in a hospital’s ICU is a problem that cannot be ignored. The authorities have to ensure that my baby’s future is secure after the accident, which has left him disabled,” he said.
The additional municipal commissioner has set up an inquiry into the incident. Dr. Ramesh Bharmal, director of major civic hospitals who is a part of the inquiry committee, said he has already paid a visit to the hospital. “The monitor, cables and other equipment around the bed have been taken by the police for their investigation,” said Dr. Bharmal.
