PM orders probe into death of eight babies in Miskolc hospital
PM orders probe into death of eight babies in Miskolc hospital
Miskolc, Hungary- Prime Minister Viktor Orban has ordered an extraordinary investigation concerning the recent death of eight premature babies in the county hospital of Miskolc in northern Hungary, the government’s information centre told MTI.
State secretary for health Miklos Szocska told public Kossuth Radio on Tuesday that the investigation sought to establish a connection between the deaths, which occured at the hospital’s premature ward between August 5 and 10. He said that the hospital management had alarmed health authorities after the third death and took measures but could not prevent further deaths which occured in rapid succession.
Late on Monday, Szocska visited the hospital and said that closing down the ward was not necessary.
Hospital director Gabor Csiba has been suspended from his position for the time of the investigation.
Update: Ninth baby dies in Miskolc hospital
Another premature baby has died in the central hospital of Miskolc – the ninth in a row in the past 10 days, the hospital told MTI on Wednesday.
According to the hospital’s statement, the baby had been in a critical condition and had undergone repeated abdomenal operations. The baby had been in isolated intensive care and was not in direct contact with any of the previous cases, the statement added.
“The baby was born with very thin chances of life,” the statement said.
Two of the deceased babies’ parents have submitted reports to police independently from each other, the national police headquarters communication service told MTI on Wednesday. In the report they said that negligence by hospital staff could have played a role in the deaths. The reports were submitted on August 9 and they were later transferred to the national bureau of investigation, the statement said.
Prime Minister Viktor ordered an extraordinary investigation concerning the deaths on Monday.
State secretary for health Miklos Szocska said on the government’s website on Tuesday that a wider disciplinary investigation will be conducted to look into baby and pregnancy care, cooperation between wards, delivery and intensive premature baby care as well as the hospital’s general procedures and hygienic status. Szocska said the tests so far had not shown any connections between the deaths.
source: MTI, politics.hu
