The Haryana Human Rights Commission has taken a suo motu cognisance of an incident pertaining to a newborn, whose arm was completely severed during the delivery at a hospital in Nuh district. The Commission said the incident “constitutes a grave violation of the rights of the child as enshrined under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)” and “undermines faith in public institutions”.
Seeking a detailed medical and factual report from the Civil Surgeon within a fortnight, the Commission, headed by Chairperson, Lalit Batra, has demanded to know the exact circumstances of the delivery, reasons for the severing of the limb, steps taken for the treatment and rehabilitation of the child.
“The right to safe childbirth and postnatal care is an integral part of the right to health, protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The alleged severing of the newborn’s arm during delivery indicates prima facie a case of egregious medical negligence. The failure to ensure standard operative procedures, particularly in a government facility where patients rely upon public healthcare, not only endangers lives but undermines faith in public institutions,” observed the Commission, in its four-page order.
