In Volgodonsk, parents of newborns blame doctors for negligence

Law enforcement bodies of the city of Volgodonsk, Rostov Region, are checking the appeals of relatives of several parents, who believe that their babies became blind due to negligence of the doctors of the central district hospital, said the press service of the Regional Public Prosecutor's Office.

As reported by Rustam Mirzoev, father of one of the suffered babies, his son, who was born in August before term, was connected after delivery to the artificial respiration unit, which entails risk of retinopathy developing; as a result, by three months of age his son lost sight.

"After discharge from the hospital the child was appointed examination by ophthalmologist only at the age of six months, which was a serious breach of inspection regulations for premature babies," said Mirzoev.

According to the GPO (General Prosecutor's Office), in Volgodonsk, eight more infants lost their sight in similar circumstances, the "Interfax" reports.

According to the Ministry of Public Health of the Rostov Region, in 2008-2010, retinopathy was fixed in five babies born under high degree of prematurity and treated at the intensive care unit of the inter-district neonatal centre of the Municipal Public Health Institution "Children's City Hospital", the "Rosbalt" reports.

On January 10, the UVD (Interior Department) for Volgodonsk rejected the parents' petition to initiate criminal proceedings for lack of crime elements. On January 11 the Regional Prosecutor's Office cancelled the decision; now, a pre-inquiry check is conducted in relation to blind babies.

Hospital doctors give no comments.