8-day-old baby dies at Bihar hospital due to 'rat bite'

Darbhanga, Oct 30: A eight-day-old newborn died allegedly due to rat bite in the neo-natal intensive care unit of a government hospital in Bihar's Darbhanga district on Tuesday. 

The incident came to light in the morning when the mother went to breastfeed the newborn at the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) -- 145 km northeast of Patna.

The parents hailed from Najra village in Madhubani district. They alleged that the death happened due to rat bite, saying that blood was oozing out from the injury marks and scars found on the baby boy's toes and fingers.

The claim was, however, dismissed by the hospital, which said the baby died at around 4:30 am due to "serious heart ailment".

Om Prakash, the incharge of the hospital's paediatric department, said the infant was admitted to the hospital's paediatric ward eight days back due to a breathing problem arising out of heart-related complications at birth.

Prakash admitted that rodents have created a menace in the hospital, but dismissed the parents' claim that the child died due to rat bite.

"It has become difficult for us to control the rats' menace at the hospital despite our attempts to get rid of them," he added.

Parents and other relatives protested in front of Deputy Development Commissioner Kari Prasad Mahto's residence.

District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Prasad Singh has constituted a three-member committee -- comprising deputy development commissioner, sub-divisional officer and sub-divisional police officer -- to probe the incident and submit a report at the earliest.

The DM said stern action would be taken against the erring persons.