Seven staff members of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), including four doctors, have been suspended following the death of a newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on August 18.
The action came after an inquiry committee found serious lapses in care and misconduct during the incident in which two infants slipped from their beds. One baby survived, while another—born to Smita Deka of Noonmati—died despite resuscitation efforts.
Earlier, nurse Bhanupriya Mishong was arrested in connection with the case and remains in judicial custody.
The Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS) has also rusticated two postgraduate trainees: Dr Hrishikesh Thakuria, a second-year student, and Dr Pooja, a first-year student, for six months. Officials said they were held responsible for negligence, misleading investigators, and tampering with hospital records.
“Strict disciplinary measures were necessary in view of the grave misconduct and dereliction of duty,” an SSUHS official said.
The four suspended doctors include Associate Professors Dr Anupama Deka and Dr Dipankar Hazarika, along with the two PG trainees. ICU technician Ishan Jyoti Talukdar, nurse-in-charge Gomati Devi, and staff nurse Chandana Nath have also been suspended.
The disciplinary action has intensified scrutiny of hospital protocols and accountability at GMCH, one of Assam’s largest public healthcare institutions. Authorities have indicated that further suspensions could follow as investigations progress.
