Pakistan: 5 health officials sent on judicial remand following death of 20 babies in Pakpattan hospital

Pakistan: 5 health officials sent on judicial remand following death of 20 babies in Pakpattan hospital
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Five health officials have been sent on judicial remand following the deaths of 20 babies at the paediatric ward of Pakistan’s Pakpattan DHQ Hospital, Dawn E-Paper reported. The suspects include District Health Authority CEO Dr. Sohail Asghar, Medical Superintendent Dr. Adnan Ghaffar, Medical Officer Dr. Ahsan, and lab technicians Tufail and Murtaza. Their arrest came after Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s visit and two inquiry reports by the provincial health department and Sahiwal Commissioner Asif Tufail.

A case was registered under sections 322 (punishment for Qatl-e-Khata) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The complaint was filed by Ali Hyder, father of one of the deceased infants. Police initially obtained a six-day remand to recover missing official records.

The officials also face allegations related to the disappearance of four infant bodies. Police confirmed the recovery of the missing records and that the parents of the four infants had received and buried their children, according to statements given to police.