The West Bengal health department has ordered the immediate closure of all services at Life Care nursing home in Nawabhat, Purba Bardhaman, after an inquiry into the death of a four-year-old child found serious deficiencies in patient safety and medical services, according to an order signed by the district’s chief medical officer of health, Jayram Hembram.
The child died while undergoing treatment at the nursing home on 2 September. Following the death, health officials sought medical records, the case sheet and other relevant information from the facility. An inquiry committee was subsequently formed to examine the circumstances surrounding the death and the treatment provided.
The closure order was issued after the committee submitted its report. The report, as described in the source report, found serious lapses in patient safety and medical care. Based on those findings, the health department directed that all services at the nursing home be stopped immediately.
The action places the facility under scrutiny over the functioning of private healthcare services in the district. The supplied report does not specify the duration of the closure, the precise deficiencies identified by the inquiry committee or whether the nursing home will be allowed to resume operations after corrective measures.
The child’s family has been demanding an investigation and swift action against those responsible. The child’s mother, Shilpa Roy, said the family had approached the district magistrate, the superintendent of police and the chief medical officer’s office after the death. The family also staged a protest and filed a complaint at the police station.
The family has said that one person, identified as Kaushik Dutta, has been arrested so far. It has also alleged that action has not been taken against Shahidul Haque, whom the family identified as a doctor. These remain the family’s allegations as reported, and the supplied material does not provide details of any police or health department response to that specific claim.
The health department’s immediate step is the suspension of all services at Life Care nursing home following the inquiry committee’s report. Further action will depend on the findings recorded in the official investigation and the progress of the police case.
