Newborn dies at Hyderabad hospital after patient’s attendant falls

HYDERABAD: A newborn boy died at Hyderabad’s Niloufer Hospital around 7am Sunday, after the attendant of another patient suffered giddiness and accidentally fell on him.

According to Nampally Police, M Pushpamma gave birth to a baby boy two days ago at the Parigi Government hospital, in Vikarabad. Since the infant was underweight — 1.3kg at birth — the family brought him to the city’s Niloufer Hospital for better treatment. He was being treated in the outpatient ward.

While the baby was initially kept in a cradle, Pushpamma picked him up to put him to sleep after feeding him. “Initially, the mother held the boy in one hand while holding the medical file in the other hand. She was getting everything ready as the doctor was about to come. But on realising that she couldn’t do both things together, Pushpamma put the boy down on the floor to get her medical reports in place. That’s when tragedy struck,” said Nampally inspector B Abhilash.

Meanwhile, Komaramma, a resident of Mancherial who was there as the attendant of another parent admitted in the same ward, suddenly felt giddy. “She claimed that she lost control and fell on the baby,” SI Sai Kumar said.

Due to the fall, the infant suffered injuries and lost consciousness. While doctors rushed to his side immediately, he could not be saved. After examining the infant, they declared him dead.

“Pushpamma, who belongs to a family of farmers, was inconsolable,” said a police official, adding that based on a complaint filed by the infant’s parents, they registered a case under Section 304A (negligence causing death) of the IPC against Komaramma.