Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has convened a meeting today to address the recent Delhi Fire Tragedy at a baby care hospital in Vivek Vihar, where seven newborns tragically lost their lives. Alongside discussions on the fire incident, the meeting will also focus on the escalating heat wave conditions in Delhi. Health Department officials are expected to participate in the meeting scheduled at the Delhi Secretariat at 1 pm today.
The Delhi government initiated a Magisterial inquiry into the Delhi Fire Tragedy in Vivek Vihar New Born Baby Care Hospital Fire Tragedy following yesterday’s tragic event. Delhi Police, in their investigation, identified significant lapses contributing to the fatal outcome. According to police reports, the hospital was operating with an invalid license, lacked emergency exit facilities, and exceeded the permissible bed capacity. Consequently, sections 304 and 308 of the IPC have been invoked in the FIR, leading to the arrest of the hospital’s director, Dr. Naveen Kichi, and attending doctor, Dr. Akash. Both accused individuals, including Dr. Khichi, who is the hospital owner, are in custody.
Further investigations revealed that some medical practitioners in the hospital lacked qualifications to provide proper care to newborns requiring Neo-Natal Intensive Care, as they held BAMS degrees only. The two arrested individuals, Dr. Naveen Khichi and Dr. Akash, are currently under custody. The bodies of the seven deceased infants, comprising four male and three female newborns, have been transferred to GTB Hospital for postmortem examinations. Firefighting efforts involved the deployment of 16 fire tenders to extinguish the blaze.
