Chhattisgarh: 4 newborns die in 2 days in government hospital; Officials say nothing unusual
Four newborn babies died in the last two days at a government medical college and hospital in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district, prompting the state government to call an emergency meeting of officials. However, hospital officials said there was nothing “unusual” about these deaths and that these babies died due to birth-related complications.
Officials said the deaths took place at the Government Medical College Affiliated Hospital (GMCH) at Ambikapur, the district headquarters of Surguja district, located about 300 km from Raipur.
“While one death occurred late on October 15, three other infants died the next morning. All the four babies in the age group of 4 to 28 days were referred from other hospitals after their birth,” said Dr Lakhan Singh, superintendent, GMCH.
He said one child died in the pediatric ward and three others in the hospital’s Special Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU).
According to Dr Singh, there was nothing unusual in these deaths.
“Two children were suffering from suffocation since birth, while many others were underweight,” Singh told PTI.
He said asphyxia is one of the most common causes of death in newborns.
Another hospital doctor said the parents of one of the dead children created a ruckus in the hospital alleging negligence on the hospital staff and later other parents joined them.
He said the parents were earlier informed about the condition of their children and the complications they faced.
In view of these deaths, Chhattisgarh Urban Administration and Development Minister Shivkumar Dahria, who is the minister in charge of Surguja district, has left for Ambikapur to preside over the meeting of officials.
State Health Minister TS Singh Deo, who was in Delhi, has left his tour midway and returned to Chhattisgarh, a release said.
A statement issued by the public relations said that on the instructions of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Dahriya has left for Ambikapur, where he has called an emergency meeting of the District Collector, Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) and the Superintendent of the Medical College. The department said.
A release issued by the Health Minister’s staff said that Singh Deo has canceled all his scheduled programs in Delhi and will reach Ambikapur directly from there.
In view of the seriousness of the matter, the Health Minister has directed to send special teams of health departments from Raipur and Bilaspur to Ambikapur, the statement said.
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