Newborns were healthy at birth; shortage of staff seen during night

The six newborns who died at Ad-din Medical College Hospital were reportedly healthy after birth, according to their relatives. However, they alleged that there were not enough medical staff in the ward at night, and that even though the babies showed signs of distress for a long time, no immediate action was taken.

The deaths of six newborns in a single ward have sparked shock and concern. Senior police officials, including the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner, visited the hospital following the incident.

A maternal uncle of one of the deceased newborns said the baby was completely fine after birth. He recalled holding the child at night, saying the baby was smiling and appeared healthy. Later, he was asked to leave the ward as male visitors were not allowed.

He said that around 3:00am, the mother called him saying the baby was crying heavily and something seemed wrong with her condition. When he went upstairs, he claimed there were no nurses present. Despite being restricted, he entered the ward and asked for help, but was reportedly questioned by a nurse for entering the area. He said he insisted that the baby was crying and needed attention, but felt staff response was inadequate.

According to him, around 5:00am, the mother again reported that the baby had calmed down and was sleeping. However, about 30 minutes later, she called again saying the baby’s condition had worsened and needed ICU support. By the time the baby was taken to the fifth floor, it could not be saved.

Preliminary information suggests that an air-conditioning malfunction occurred in the ward, followed by a suspected gas leak, after which the condition of the hospitalized newborns deteriorated rapidly, leading to the deaths of six infants.

Another relative said there was a strange smell throughout the ward and questioned whether the on-duty nurses noticed it. He added that if adults could feel discomfort from the smell, it was even more dangerous for newborns.

However, Nahid Yasmin, Director General of Ad-Din Foundation, said in a briefing that the post-delivery ward houses mothers and newborns after cesarean sections. She stated that the babies were healthy and that at one point a mother had requested the air conditioner be turned off due to discomfort from heat or cold, as adjustments are sometimes made based on patient needs.
Ad-din hospital infant deaths: conflicting accounts over cause as investigation continues

The situation surrounding the deaths of six newborns at Ad-din Medical College Hospital has deepened, with hospital authorities, relatives, and police offering differing accounts of what may have happened.

According to Nahid Yasmin, two newborns initially became mildly ill around 3:00am on Tuesday night and were taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). After doctors examined them and found their condition stable, they were returned to the post-delivery ward. Later, around 6:00am, nurses on duty reportedly noticed that several babies in the ward appeared unwell, a concern also raised by the mothers. The infants were then rushed again to the NICU. At that point, doctors found two newborns already dead on arrival (“brought dead”), while the remaining four were in critical condition and placed on ventilator support. Despite efforts, all six could not be saved.

When asked about the possible cause of the simultaneous deaths, she said the incident was deeply painful and noted that the post-delivery area was divided into sections, and the affected babies were in one section only, while other wards were unaffected. She suggested that because there was no proper ventilation in that room and the air conditioning may have been turned off, the deaths could possibly be linked to suffocation or oxygen deprivation, though this remains unconfirmed.

The incident has created an atmosphere of grief across the hospital. Relatives have alleged negligence and delays in treatment. A grandmother of one of the deceased babies said she was told the child had been shifted to the ICU, but after hours of waiting, she learned the baby had died. She also claimed there were not enough doctors or nurses on duty at night, and that babies were crying and deteriorating throughout the night without proper attention.

Another grieving mother said most of the newborns in the ward were crying and vomiting during the night, and no one could understand what was happening. She added that although the baby was later taken to NICU in critical condition and initially given reassurance, the death was announced shortly afterward.

Senior officials, including Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed, visited the hospital following the incident, along with senior officials from the Directorate General of Health Services.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Ramna Division Sheikh Ziaul Islam said that six newborn deaths had been reported at the hospital, but the exact cause is still unknown. Police are present at the site, and he said the final cause will be determined after investigation.