Case registerd against Health Minister on new born deaths

Thiruvananthapuram, May 4 (UNI) Police registered a case against Kerala Health Minister P K Sreemathi and six others today, for failing to take effective steps to prevent the deaths of new born babies due to an infection at the state-run Sree Avittam Tirunal (SAT) Hospital.

The Medical College police registered the case after Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate directed them yesterday to make the case under sections IPC 304 and 34, culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Besides Ms Sreemathi, the case was registered against Dr Shyamala and Dr Shiela Shenoy, head of the Gynaecology departments, Gemini and Girija, nursing superintendents, Nisha, nursing superintendent (labour room), and Shajila, cleaning-in-charge, labour room.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate S Gopala Krishnan had given the direction after hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by one V Vikraman.

The case was filed in the backdrop of reports that at least 38 new born babies had died of an alleged hospital-acquired infection at the SAT hospital during the past four months.

UNI