A 24-Hour Wait That Ended in Tragedy: NHRC Initiates Suo Motu Action Over Newborn’s Death
(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
New Delhi: 6, July,2026-Taking serious note of an alleged lapse in the public healthcare system, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has initiated Suo motu proceedings into the reported death of a newborn who allegedly failed to receive ventilator support for nearly 24 hours despite being shifted across three government hospitals in Haryana’s Hisar and Rohtak districts.
Viewing the incident as raising grave concerns over the protection of the right to life and access to emergency medical care, the Commission has issued notices to the Haryana Chief Secretary, seeking a detailed report on the circumstances leading to the infant’s death within two weeks.
The Commission said the news reports, if true, point to serious human‑rights violations and has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Haryana, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.
According to a media account published on 3 July 2026, an infant delivered by caesarean at Hisar Civil Hospital on 1 July 2026 required immediate ventilator support.
While the mother remained admitted at the Civil Hospital, doctors first referred the newborn to Agroha Medical College (Hisar district). After the Civil Hospital reportedly confirmed that Agroha had no ventilator available, the infant was sent to PGIMS Rohtak.
When a ventilator could not be arranged at PGIMS, the child was returned to Hisar and admitted to a private hospital, where the infant was subsequently declared dead.
