Govt orders inquiry into incident at Ganesh Das hospital

SHILLONG, AUG 5: The state government has ordered a high level inquiry into the alleged harassment and stigmatization of a woman and the death of her newborn baby at the Ganesh Das Hospital.

“The inquiry committee to probe into the incident at the Ganesh Das hospital will be headed by the Director of Health Services (MI) Dr Aman War,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters after a daily review meeting held on Wednesday.

Tynsong informed that the committee has been asked to submit its report to the state government within two weeks’ time.

It may be mentioned here that the newborn baby died at the government-run hospital on the evening of July 28, hours after the mother had to suffer humiliation of being refused admission as she was from Mawlai Mawtawar, which was declared as a containment zone that time.

The mother was brought back to the hospital after members of an NGO took up the matter with the DHS (MI) Dr Aman War. However, the newborn baby died after delivery.

The Ganesh Das Hospital has already submitted its reply to the show-cause notice served by the state government on July 30.

The decision of the government to institute an inquiry into the incident also came after direction was issued by the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC).

Whether the government is going to provide interim relief to the mother, Tynsong however said the matter is being examined.

By Our Reporter