The strength of any public health system is measured by how it protects its most vulnerable citizens. Few are more vulnerable than newborn babies fighting for survival in their first days of life. Yet, the tragic deaths of four newborns at the Women’s Hospital in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, have raised serious concerns about medical negligence, systemic gaps, and the urgent need for accountability in India’s healthcare infrastructure.
According to the complaint submitted to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the incident occurred on 8 June 2025 in the hospital’s Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU). The newborns, reportedly premature and in critical condition, required ventilator support — a life-saving intervention that was allegedly unavailable at the facility. Without timely access to essential equipment, their chances of survival were drastically reduced.
The loss of a newborn is not just a statistic; it is the collapse of a family’s hopes and dreams. Each death represents a profound human tragedy that demands more than administrative acknowledgment — it demands truth, responsibility, and reform.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the National Human Rights Commission has taken cognizance of the complaint and directed the Secretary of Health & Family Welfare, Uttar Pradesh, to submit an Action Taken Report within four weeks. This intervention is a welcome step, reaffirming that access to healthcare is inseparable from the fundamental right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
However, the questions raised by this incident go far beyond a single hospital. How can a district-level facility entrusted with neonatal care function without adequate ventilator support? Were there sufficient contingency plans for emergency referrals? Were families properly informed and assisted? And if illegal charges for essential equipment were indeed demanded, what mechanisms allowed such practices to persist?
These are not merely operational failures — they point toward deeper structural challenges within public healthcare systems, particularly in underserved districts. Infrastructure shortages, staff constraints, delayed procurement, and weak oversight often converge to create situations where preventable deaths become normalized. This normalization is perhaps the greatest injustice of all.
India has made notable progress in reducing infant mortality over the past decades, yet such incidents remind us that progress is uneven. Rural and semi-urban healthcare institutions frequently operate under immense pressure, serving large populations with limited resources. But resource constraints cannot become an excuse for compromised care when human lives are at stake.
Accountability must therefore be both immediate and systemic. A transparent and independent inquiry is essential to establish the facts — not to assign blame prematurely, but to ensure that lessons are learned and corrective measures implemented. Where negligence is found, responsibility must be fixed. Where gaps exist, they must be urgently addressed.
At the same time, this tragedy presents an opportunity to rethink our approach to maternal and neonatal healthcare. Strengthening Special Newborn Care Units, ensuring the availability of critical equipment, improving referral transport systems, and investing in skilled personnel are not optional reforms — they are moral imperatives. Technology, too, can play a role through real-time monitoring of equipment availability and early warning systems for shortages.
Equally important is the need to center healthcare around dignity and compassion. Families navigating medical emergencies should never feel abandoned or coerced. Trust is the foundation of public health, and once broken, it is difficult to rebuild.
The NHRC’s intervention signals that institutional mechanisms for justice remain active and responsive. Yet true justice will only be achieved when such tragedies are prevented from recurring. Every newborn deserves not only the chance to survive but the assurance that the system designed to protect them will function when it matters most.
As a society, we must resist the temptation to move on quickly from such incidents. Instead, we must ask difficult questions, demand transparency, and support reforms that prioritize human life above procedural convenience. The right to health is not aspirational — it is fundamental.
The deaths of these four newborns must not fade into anonymity. Let them serve as a turning point — a call to strengthen healthcare systems, enforce accountability, and reaffirm our collective commitment to protecting the most fragile lives among us.
Because ultimately, a nation that safeguards its children safeguards its future.
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| NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION |
| MANAV ADHIKAR BHAWAN BLOCK-C, GPO COMPLEX, INA, NEW DELHI- 110023 |
| Fax No.: 011-24651332 Website: www.nhrc.nic.in |
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| (Law Division) |
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| Case No.- 13452/24/7/2025 |
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| Sub : Complaint/ Intimation from |
LENIN RAGHUVANSHI
SA 4/2A DAULATPUR, VARANASI
VARANASI , UTTAR PRADESH
221002
Email- pvchr.adv@gmail.com , Mob No- 9935599331 |
| Subject: Action Taken Report Called for(ATR) -13452/24/7/2025. |
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| Sir/ Madam, |
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| The complaint/ intimation dated 10/06/2025, was placed before the Commission on 30/01/2026. Upon perusing the same, the Commission directed as follows: |
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| The Commission received a complaint on 10/06/2025 about medical negligence in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh. Upon pursuing the same the Commission directed as follows:
The complainant alleges that on 8 June 2025, four newborn babies died in Budaun’s women’s hospital due to the lack of ventilators in the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU). The babies were premature and needed ventilator support, which was unavailable. Families accused the hospital of negligence, while authorities claimed many babies were referred to other hospitals but families often refused to go. There are also allegations of illegal charges for warmers (incubators). The District Magistrate acknowledged the deaths but denied knowledge about the ventilator shortage.
Let a copy of the complaint be transmitted to the Secretary - Health & Family Welfare, Uttar Pradesh through online mode, to ensure the needful action and submit the action taken report duly translated in English to the Commission within four weeks.
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| 2. Accordingly, I am forwarding herewith a copy of the complaint/ intimation as an attachment for taking appropriate action in the matter as per the directions of the Commission. It is requested that an Action Taken Report be sent to the Commission within 4 weeks from the date of receipt of this letter. |
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| 3. Any communication by public authorities in this matter may please be sent to the Commission through the HRCNet Portal (https://hrcnet.nic.in) by using id and password already provided to the public authorities (click Authority Login). Any Audio/ Video CDs/ pen drives etc. may be sent through Speed Post/ per bearer. The reports/ responses sent through email may not be entertained. |
Your’s faithfully
Sd/-
Atul Kumar
ASSISTANT REGISTRAR (LAW)
M-5 Section
Ph. No. 011-24663287 |
| CC to |
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Complainant Details
Case No. 13452/24/7/2025
LENIN RAGHUVANSHI
SA 4/2A DAULATPUR, VARANASI
VARANASI , UTTAR PRADESH
221002
Email- pvchr.adv@gmail.com , Mob No- 9935599331 Atul Kumar
ASSISTANT REGISTRAR (LAW)
M-5 Section
Ph. No. 011-24663287
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