Inquiry committee to submit report into Ganesh Das incident by next week: DHS

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 13, 2020

The Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War is likely to submit his inquiry report into the incident that led to the death of a newborn baby at the Ganesh Das hospital, next week.

“Dr War has informed that he would submit his inquiry report into the incident to the state government by next week,” General secretary of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) Mawlai Circle, Bashan Lyngdoh Mawnai said in a statement issued on Thursday.

He informed that the delegation of the Mawlai Circle led by its president Donboklang Kharlyngdoh had met the Director of Health Services (MI) to discuss the matter.

The inquiry committee headed by Dr War was constituted by the state government to probe into the alleged harassment and stigmatization of a woman and the subsequent death of her newborn baby at the Ganesh Das Hospital on July 28.

“We have also submitted our statement relating to the incident to the Director,” he informed.

Mawnai recalled that the woman was denied admission for delivery at the Ganesh Das hospital just because she came from Mawlai Mawtawar, which at that time was declared as a containment zone and the hospital authority later agreed to take her back after intervention by the HYC-Mawlai circle.

“However, later it was learnt that her newborn baby had passed away at the same day. The incident had prompted the HYC-Mawlai circle to submit a petition to the DHS (MI) on July 30, demanding investigation into the matter besides payment of compensation,” he said.

Meanwhile, the HYC has also conducted awareness programmes for health workers in different hospitals to ensure that such incidents do not reoccur in the future.

“We urge the people not to be afraid to approach the hospitals for delivery,” Mawnai said while adding that the HYC also extends its full support to the health workers who are working day and night to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.