Govt to take action in Bhandara hospital tragedy today: Tope

Nagpur: The state government is likely to take action against Bhandara district general hospital’s erring staff and the agency providing technical support to it on Thursday. State public health minister Rajesh Tope told TOI in an SMS reply on Wednesday that action would be taken “tomorrow”.
Tope was responding to TOI’s query on submission of report and when the action would be taken in the hospital’s Sick Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) tragedy on January 9 when 10 premature babies died in a fire.
On Wednesday morning, state public health minister sprang a surprise by claiming that the report was not submitted. In a statement issued in Mumbai in the morning, Tope claimed, “The report has not been submitted to the public health department. Health commissioner wasn’t there yesterday. I feel he would hand it over to the health secretary today. The department shall deliberate over the report. After this, it will be shown to CM and deputy CM. As per their directives after they see it, whatever action has to be taken, we shall take. The report would be taken seriously,” he said.
The report was also not tabled in Wednesday’s cabinet meeting despite assurances by cabinet ministers visiting the hospital soon after the tragedy. Tope separately briefed the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and deputy CM Ajit Pawar after the meeting.
On Thursday, Tope is likely to brief home minister Anil Deshmukh, sources said.
Police are likely to file an FIR in the fire case which so far is being probed as an accidental case under Sec 174 of the CrPC. The police had been waiting for the expert committee to submit its report after which it was expected to get a go-ahead from the government for an FIR.
Sources said once the discussion between Deshmukh and Tope is over, a decision on filing an FIR will been taken.
On Wednesday, TOI had reported that the panel led by divisional commissioner Sanjeev Kumar has submitted the report. The panel members had completed it on Tuesday. Director of health services Dr Sadhana Tayade had personally handed over the report to health secretary Pradeep Vyas.