Police have registered a case against three Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) hospital nurses for taping a baby’s mouth to make it stop crying.
Priya Kamble, a homemaker from Badlapur, claimed that on June 2, 2023, she found her newborn son, who was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a BMC hospital in Bhandup. The baby had an adhesive tape across his mouth. She mentioned her parents and a former corporator, who demanded the hospital authorities discharge the baby.
After a few months, lawyer Tushar Bhonsale registered a complaint with the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC). They issued summonses to the BMC and police. The police took cognizance of the MSHRC case, and on Thursday, police took action against the nurses.
Priya got married to Yugandhar Kamble in 2022. Priya had delivered a boy on May 20, 2023, at the Savitribai Phule Hospital.
Afterward, Priya was discharged three days later and was asked to return if her baby suffered any health problems.
On May 26, 2023, she rushed her son to the hospital because he was yellowish, but a doctor told her the baby wouldn’t need hospitalization as long as he was being breastfed. Although her baby continued to suffer from health issues, he was admitted to the NICU on May 31, 2023.
On June 2, 2023, around 8 p.m., when Priya went to pick up her son, she found adhesive tape around his mouth, his neck, and below his chin. She removed it and found rashes all over her son's body.
An official said that when she inquired about the tape, Shweta, a nurse told her that they had to place it as her baby wouldn’t stop crying.
Following this, Priya’s parents approached nurse Savita Bhoir, who allegedly told them not to create a ruckus over the adhesive tape as it was a common practice in NICUs. Thereafter, the baby was taken to Agrawal Hospital.
Priya’s parents contacted former corporator Jagruti Patil, who went to the hospital after midnight. At Jagruti Patil’s insistence, police took the complaint; however, there was no follow-up action until MSHRC began hearing the case.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Komal Bhoi/MSM)
