"The situation has happened": nine babies died in Novokuznetsk maternity hospital

It became known about the mass death of infants in one of the maternity hospitals in Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo region. The incident was confirmed by the Minister of Health of the region Andrey Tarasov. It was also reported that the maternity hospital was quarantined. For more information about what happened, as well as who is responsible for what happened, see the Izvestia article.

Death of infants in Novokuznetsk

During the New Year holidays, as it became known, nine babies died in obstetric hospital No. 1 of G. P. Kurbatov Novokuznetsk City Clinical Hospital No. 1. Earlier it was reported about the death of six children.

According to the Minister of Health of the region Andrey Tarasov, the commission of the Ministry of Health of Kuzbass traveled to assess the situation in the hospital.

"The situation has occurred. The trial is currently underway. A commission from the Ministry of Health visited to assess and prevent the situation. After the verification is completed, we will provide official information," he said.

It also became known that the maternity hospital was closed due to exceeding the threshold for respiratory infection.

"Due to exceeding the threshold for the incidence of respiratory infection in obstetric hospital No. 1 NGKB No. 1 named after G.P.Kurbatov, the hospitalization of patients has been suspended for the duration of quarantine measures for sanitary and epidemiological reasons," the medical institution's website says.

There were also reports that the incident caused a shortage of staff, but the hospital denied this information. Later it became known that the chief doctor of the hospital was temporarily suspended from his post. This was announced by the Governor of the Kemerovo region Ilya Seredyuk in his Telegram channel.

"An inspection by relevant departments has been organized at Novokuznetsk City Clinical Hospital No. 1. I decided to dismiss the chief physician Vitaly Heraskov for the period of its implementation and gave the corresponding instruction to the Minister of Health of Kuzbass," he wrote.

According to information from the Kontur Focus system database, the last inspections at Novokuznetsk City Clinical Hospital No. 1 were conducted in November 2025. In total, 15 unscheduled inspections and a preventive visit were conducted over the previous year. In 2024, there were 170 of them. In addition, it is reported that in 2025, the inspection authorities issued 14 warnings, in 2024 — 156. On November 14 last year, the territorial authority of the Federal Service for Healthcare Supervision in the Kemerovo Region issued a warning on the use of a discontinued drug for intramuscular injection, and on November 21, the warning was issued following a review. patient's complaints about non-provision of medical care under the compulsory medical insurance program.

The Ministry of Health of Kuzbass also told about other children who have recently been born in the hospital: "From December 1, 2025 to January 11, 2026, 234 births were delivered at the maternity hospital No. 1 in Novokuznetsk. 32 children were treated in the intensive care unit, 17 infants were in extremely serious condition, 16 of them were premature, including those with extremely low body weight. All 17 children with severe intrauterine infection, including 1 child with primary immunodeficiency. Some were in the intensive care unit for more than 30 days."

The criminal case

After reports of the incident appeared, an inspection of the institution's compliance with the requirements of the legislation on health care, protection of the rights of minors and compliance with sanitary and epidemiological norms and requirements in the maternity hospital was organized. It involves the territorial body of Roszdravnadzor in the Kemerovo region — Kuzbass, the local prosecutor's office, as well as specialists from Rospotrebnadzor. The check is also carried out by the Investigative Committee (IC) for the Kemerovo region.

"Currently, Investigative Committee investigators are conducting verification activities aimed at establishing and comprehensively examining the causes and circumstances of the incident. Based on the results of the audit, a procedural decision will be made, including a legal assessment of the activities of officials of the medical institution," the UK said in a Telegram channel message.

A criminal case was opened under Part 3 of Article 109 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("causing death by negligence to two or more persons"). Later, it became known about a new case under Part 3 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code ("negligence").

Reviews

Izvestia also has reviews about the maternity hospital. The patients said that terrible incidents had already occurred there before: one of the babies had his arm torn off during childbirth, while another baby had his collarbone broken in 2024, accusing his mother of not being able to give birth.

"Doctors are as indifferent as possible to the condition of patients and their little babies, it is a pity that such heartless people work in hospitals," one of the women wrote.

According to the women in labor, the staff allowed themselves to be rude to patients, and there are often no specialists on the ground. They are also convinced of incorrect diagnoses and referrals from doctors. One of the women said that her baby died when she was sent for a natural birth instead of a caesarean section, despite low placentation.