An appalling case of medical negligence has emerged from Indore’s Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital (MYH), where two newborns were bitten by rats inside the Neonatal ICU. One of the infants, a baby girl already battling pneumonia and congenital disorders, died on Tuesday. The incident has raised serious concerns about hygiene, hospital safety, and administrative oversight at one of Madhya Pradesh’s largest government healthcare institutions.

Government Admits Pest Control Failure

Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla confirmed that pest management procedures had not been implemented at the hospital as required. “The pest control and cleanliness drive was not done regularly, which is why M. Y. Hospital has become a shelter for the rodents,” Shukla told the press. He added, “The government has initiated action and suspended two staff members. Further action would be taken once the detailed investigation report is available.” Shukla has instructed the Health and Family Welfare Department to submit a full report within a week.

Two Infants Bitten; One Succumbs

The horrifying discovery was made during the night of August 30–31 when hospital staff noticed injuries on two babies in the NICU. One suffered bites to the hand; the other had injuries on her shoulder. CCTV footage later confirmed rodents roaming near the newborns’ beds. Doctors said the baby girl who passed away was extremely fragile, with underdeveloped organs and low hemoglobin, and was on life support. While her death was officially attributed to pneumonia and congenital conditions, the rodent attack is believed to have worsened her condition significantly.

Hospital Management Faces the Heat

Dr. Arvind Ghanghoria, Dean of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, which oversees MY Hospital, acknowledged that protocol failures played a role in the incident. “There was a case of two children who were bitten by rats in the Pediatric Surgical Ward. One of them was already in a critical condition with multiple complications. However, the rat bite raises serious questions about hospital safety protocols,” he said.

He further revealed that though rats had been spotted in the ward 4–5 days prior, nursing staff failed to report the issue, which could have prevented the incident. “The failure of nursing staff to report rodent sightings in time could have prevented this tragedy,” he added.

Immediate Disciplinary Action Taken

In response to the tragedy, two nurses on duty the night of the attack were suspended. The nursing superintendent of Ambu Hospital has been relieved of her duties. Show-cause notices were issued to two other senior nurses and the Head of the Perioperative Surgery Department. Meanwhile, The Agile Company, the private pest control agency contracted by the hospital, was fined Rs 1 lakh and served a show-cause notice for dereliction of duty.

Dr. Ghanghoria stated that pest control measures previously carried out every 15 days will now be conducted weekly throughout the hospital. “The company has now been asked to carry out pest control work in the entire hospital every seven days instead of every 15 days,” he said.

Cause of Rodent Influx: Heavy Rainfall and Broken Pipes

The hospital administration believes that the recent rat intrusion may have been triggered by weather and infrastructure issues. “It rained very heavily three to four days ago in Indore and there was water logging in many parts including around the hospital. They [the rats] climbed through the pipes during this time,” said Dr. Ghanghoria. He emphasised that while pest control was documented regularly, this instance exposed a serious lapse in both internal reporting and pest control enforcement.

Other Newborn Still Under Observation

The second infant, also in critical condition, remains under observation. Doctors revealed that the baby suffers from severe congenital deformities, including underdeveloped lungs and intestines, but has undergone surgery and is currently on ventilator support. The child is reportedly stable for now.

Dr. Ashok Yadav, the Medical Superintendent at the hospital, added that the initial injury was thought to be a minor infection until rodent presence was confirmed. “This was believed to be a kind of infection but when a rat was found at the spot the next day, then we thought that it was a rat bite,” he explained. Yadav has been assigned to lead an internal review and ensure strict measures are implemented to prevent future occurrences.

Opposition Calls Incident a ‘Massacre’

Reacting strongly, Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar accused the BJP-led state government of criminal negligence. “Hospitals are meant to save lives, but BJP has turned them into dens of death. Doctors and the system kept lying, while rats drank the blood of children. Is this the picture of BJP’s ‘Healthy Madhya Pradesh’? Shameful!” he said. Singhar also alleged that pest control had not been conducted at the hospital in over five years, calling the incident nothing short of a “massacre.”