LAHORE: An inquiry committee constituted by the Children’s Hospital management to investigate into an alleged “fire incident” at the facility resulting in death of a child on Saturday night, has strongly rejected the reports, saying the infant died of multiple organ failure and no one suffered burns.

Headed by Prof Dr Syed Javed Iqbal, the four-member inquiry committee declared that the baby girl was admitted to the hospital with health complications and died of multiple organ failure after the onset of various diseases.

“The cause of death of the baby is onset of sepsis with Purpura Fulminans, leading to multiple organ failure”, reads the inquiry report (a copy available with Dawn).

Neonatal Purpura Fulminans (PF) is a rare life-threatening condition caused by congenital or acquired deficiencies of proteins C or S.

Unconfirmed reports on Saturday night had suggested that allegedly three kids died from overheating at neonatal emergency of the Children’s Hospital Lahore.

However, the hospital administration later termed the reports “premature”, saying that a bay girl did die at the neonatal emergency, but her death was caused by some health complications, rejecting the reports of “fire incident” at the facility.

Later, a committee of senior doctors was constituted to thoroughly investigate into the reports to bring facts to light.

The report suggested that the five-day old baby girl was admitted to the neonatal emergency with loose motions and respiratory distress. It said the infant had been suffering from the diseases for the last two days.

It said that shortly after her admission, she was given inhalation, antibiotics and IV fluids according to the given treatment protocols. The baby was then shifted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) for further management, it added.

However, she developed gasping respiration, along with deep blue/black discoloration of skin involving face, trunk, lower limbs and severe bradycardia. The baby was immediately incubated and put on mechanical ventilation along with inotropes. The duty doctors had explained the critical condition of the baby to her parents, the report said.

As soon as she collapsed, the doctors resuscitated her but to no avail. She died of serious complications at 11:25pm, the inquiry report said.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2023