Kolkata: Newborn baby dies of warmer overheating in city hospital

Kolkata, Dec 10: A five-day-old baby died at the state-run SSKM hospital due to overheating in a radiant warmer apparatus, family members alleged today.

The baby died around 9.30 PM yesterday. While the doctors say the death occurred primarily because of multi-organ failure, family members alleged that the baby succumbed to the heat in the apparatus where it was kept after its body temperature went down on Monday night.

"The baby's death, according to the doctors, was because of multi-organ failure. It was shifted to the warmer after its body temperature went down on Monday night," SSKM Director Dr Manju Banerjee told PTI.

The hospital authorities formed a six-member panel to look into the family's allegations.

"Because the family members have complained we have decided to look into the matter and so have formed the committee," she said.

On November 21, three babies had similarly perished in a warmer in the sick neonatal care unit of the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital.

PTI