Tragic Incident of Newborn Deaths Sparks Child Rights Investigation

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Thursday took action, issuing a notice to Indore district's chief official, following the deaths of two newborn girls due to rat bites at Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital.

Based on a complaint by the NGO Jan Swasthya Abhiyan Madhya Pradesh, the NCPCR has tasked the district collector with investigating the alleged serious breaches involving child rights and hospital safety standards. The commission has demanded a report within three days.

The tragic incident, which involved rats biting the babies in MYH's ICU, has led to demands for further scrutiny of neonatal care units statewide. The hospital insists pneumonia and a blood infection were causes of death, not rat bites. The situation has prompted third-party audits and political criticism targeting high-level government officials.

(With inputs from agencies.)