Baby deaths get 'small incident' tag

HOWRAH: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday once again applied her pet “small incident“ tag on the recent deaths of two newborns at the SNCU unit of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH). While saying so, she also referred to another recent incident at a north Bengal hospital where a nurse had accidentally cut off the thumb of a baby .
But, she also hit out at junior doctors and nurses agitating against suspension of their colleagues accused of not monitoring the CMCH warmers.
At a public meeting in Howrah's Amta, Mamata said, “In spite of several obstacles, I try to ensure that the state is run well. Despite my efforts, some small incidents keep happening.When I take action against those responsible, a slander campaign is launched against our government. Recently , two newborns died in Kolkata inside the warmer of a government hospital. Befor that, in north Bengal, a nurse had cut off the thumb of a newborn at a government hospital. In both the cases, I had ordered a probe and those held responsible were suspended.But the colleagues of the accused and others are attacking me and questioning why the suspension order was issued.“
She also said, “The accused nurses in both the hospitals are lucky that I have only suspended them and not terminated their services.“ On Saturday , a day after the suspension, nurses and junior doctors of CMCH launched a sit-in demonstration on the hospital premises, demanding the withdrawal of the suspension order.
She also said, “When it involves the lives of patients, I won't tolerate any kind of child's play . I will act firmly and won't be bothered or thwarted by attacks and insinuations.“