The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the death of a newborn in Hisar, Haryana, who could not receive ventilator support for nearly 24 hours. The Commission issued notices to the Haryana Chief Secretary, demanding a detailed report within two weeks.
Incident Details
According to a media report dated July 3, 2026, the infant was born via caesarean section at Civil Hospital, Hisar, on July 1 and required immediate ventilator support. While the mother remained admitted, doctors initially referred the newborn to Medical College at Agroha in Hisar district. After Civil Hospital reportedly confirmed no ventilator was available at Agroha, the baby was referred to PGIMS, Rohtak. Unable to obtain a ventilator there, the child was brought back to Hisar and taken to a private hospital, where he was declared dead.
NHRC's Response
The Commission stated that the newborn died because he could not receive ventilator support for nearly 24 hours in hospitals in Hisar and Rohtak. The father struggled to find a ventilator, moving from one hospital to another without success. The NHRC observed that the news reports, if true, raise serious issues of human rights violations.
Ongoing Inquiry
The matter has been referred to the district medical negligence board, which has initiated an inquiry. Sources indicate a communication gap in verifying ventilator availability. Health department sources noted that a ventilator was available at Civil Hospital, Rohtak, at the time the child was admitted to PGIMS Rohtak without support. Additionally, availability was not checked in civil hospitals in Fatehabad, Sirsa, and Jind when the newborn was referred to PGIMS.
