Nashwa’s father demands formation of independent commission to probe death

KARACHI: The father of nine-month-old toddler Nashwa, who died due to alleged medical negligence at a private hospital in Karachi, has demanded that an independent inquiry commission be formed to probe the death.

Nashwa passed away after suffering brain damage allegedly after being administered an excessive quantity of an injection at a private hospital in Karachi earlier this week.

Speaking to the media in Karachi on Friday, Qaiser Ali, the father, said he would be left with no choice but to stage a sit-in if his demands were not met by the authorities.

Calling for action against unregistered hospitals, he demanded an independent inquiry commission, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to investigate the incident.

He also called for the arrest of the owners of the hospital in question. 

"I was promised an independent inquiry commission by the chief minister. The chief minister is yet to form an inquiry commission," Ali said.

“If our demands are not met by 5pm on Saturday, then we will exercise our right to stage a protest from 12pm on Sunday,” he added.

“We were assured by the chief minister that the chairman, vice chairman and executive director will be arrested," he lamented, adding, “We demand Sec 302 against owners as they deliberately lied to us and kept Nashwa in an ICU to cover their negligence.”

Ali added that this was not the time for politics and that his daughter’s death should not be painted in a political light. “This is not the time for politics but to work towards a solution,” he said.

A report presented by a committee formed earlier to probe the case revealed that midwife Sobia and nursing assistant Moeez showed dereliction of duty.

The report stated that the injection administered to Nashwa had adverse effects on her brain, heart and liver. According to the report, Nashwa could have survived had she been provided proper treatment at the hospital.