The probe committee that was formed to investigate an incident involving health workers allegedly declaring a living infant dead in Koshi Hospital has said that the staff on duty are not found guilty in the incident.

The three-member committee led by paediatrician Dr Prawin Jha submitted its report to the hospital administration on Sunday. The report states that the medical team at the emergency unit at Koshi Hospital, Biratnagar, did not officially declare the infant dead.

On January 18, an 18-day-old infant of Jahada Rural Municipality-3 in Morang district was brought to the hospital after having difficulties in breathing. The infant girl was taken to the emergency unit for treatment. The victim’s parents and relatives alleged that the hospital’s medical officer Dr Akash Yadav along with assistant health workers Tika Bhandari and Laxman Majhi declared the infant dead.

The infant was taken to a private hospital nearby where she died in the course of treatment after a week.

The probe committee submitted its report stating that the doctor and health workers on duty were innocent in the incident, said Dr Laxmi Narayan Yadav, the medical superintendent at Koshi Hospital. “According to the committee, the health workers had said the infant might have been dead as they could not find her pulse and heartbeat,” Yadav said. “The relatives took away the infant to another hospital while the medical test of the victim was underway.”

Dilip Mukhiya, the infant’s father, agreed that the health workers did not pronounce the infant dead officially. “They just said that the girl might be dead after examining her. The relatives took her out of the emergency unit. We took her to a private hospital nearby as she started crying,” said Mukhiya. “I visited the medical superintendent and urged him not to punish any health workers.”

The infant was admitted to Golden Hospital. The hospital carried out her treatment keeping her in an ICU ventilator for a week. She passed away on Tuesday.

“We spent a total of Rs210,000 at Golden Hospital but could not save our daughter,” said Mukhiya, adding that he took loans from neighbours and relatives to clear the hospital’s bill. Mukhiya is an ambulance driver. “The then Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane called me and assured help with the treatment,” he said. “He asked me to keep her at the hospital. But we did not get any support from anyone.”