Staff reporter
Guwahati: The tragic death of a newborn at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has sparked widespread outrage, with both the bereaved family and the nursing community demanding a transparent and unbiased investigation.
Earlier today, the grieving father once again voiced his anguish before the media, alleging that the enquiry so far has been “selective” and “one-sided.” He questioned why the duty doctor, Dr. Rishikesh Thakuria, has not yet been interrogated. “Why has the doctor still not been questioned? My baby was murdered, and yet the main accused remains untouched,” said Bordoloi. The infant’s mother, Smrita Deka, who is still undergoing treatment at GMCH, also named Dr. Thakuria in the family’s formal complaint. Relatives of the couple asserted that the tragedy resulted from lapses at multiple levels and not merely from nursing negligence.
In the wake of the incident, hundreds of nurses staged a strong protest outside Bhangagarh Police Station, demanding the immediate release of duty nurse Bhanupriya Mishong, who was arrested soon after the newborn’s death. Carrying placards and shouting slogans, the protesters accused authorities of scapegoating Bhanupriya while sparing others equally responsible. The nurses also drew attention to the severe staff shortage in GMCH’s NICU. “We are forced to perform night duty five days out of ten. One nurse cannot handle 35 babies alone. Errors are inevitable in such conditions,” they said, adding that repeated appeals for more manpower had been ignored.
Alongside the demonstration, the nurses submitted a memorandum to the enquiry committee, outlining four major concerns. They stated that nurses have no authority in admission procedures, and the decision to place four babies in a single warmer was not theirs. They questioned how the NICU, which received MusQan certification in March 2025, could still be violating certified standards. They also highlighted that despite Indian Nursing Council guidelines mandating a 1:1 or 1:2 nurse-patient ratio, one nurse was left to manage nearly 35 babies. Finally, they condemned the immediate arrest of nurse Bhanupriya before the enquiry findings were made public, calling it unjust and premature.
While apologizing to the public for the tragedy, the nurses stressed that patient care is a team responsibility and urged the enquiry committee to hold all accountable officials, including doctors, responsible. “We have always served with dedication and sincerity, but under the current staff crisis, maintaining standards is impossible. We appeal for a fair and unbiased investigation,” the nurses said in their concluding statement.
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