A mother soothes her child with Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) at the emergency department of BC Roy Post Graduate Institute of Pediatric Sciences in Kolkata on March 1, 2023. Photo Credit: PTI
Four children died due to respiratory infection in different hospitals in Kolkata within a span of 24 hours on Wednesday amid fears of an adenovirus spread. Two deaths were reported at the Dr BC Roy Post Graduate Institute of Pediatric Sciences, while two deaths were reported at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (MCH). it comes a day later death of five children Reported in Kolkata hospitals.
As the number of children with respiratory distress rises in hospitals in the West Bengal capital and neighboring districts, state health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam visited hospitals in the city and announced that the number of pediatric beds would be increased. However, he added that most of the children who died were suffering from “co-morbidities”.
“Many of these cases had co-morbidities. These are babies who are born with low weight or had heart-related problems,” said Mr. Nigam. The health secretary said that he held discussions with the hospital authorities and doctors, who were convinced about the treatment and available infrastructure. The official also said that the district hospitals will have to talk to the superintendent of the medical college and hospitals for referral of patients.
A father whose child died at BC Roy Hospital alleged that the three children were kept on the same bed at the hospital and said he was manhandled by the officials. On Tuesday, the West Bengal Health Department issued an advisory in view of the rise in cases of acute respiratory infection among children.
struggling hospital
“All Pediatric Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) clinics will function round the clock in Medical College and Hospitals (MCH), District Hospitals and Sub-Divisional Hospitals… No Pediatric ARI cases will be referred without the knowledge of the concerned MSVP/Hospital Superintendent of, ”said the consultant.
There are reports of death of children due to shortness of breath in districts where hospitals are also struggling with the influx of patients. The advisory states that the five pediatric centers set up to deal with such situations during the pandemic – BC Roy Post Graduate Institute of Pediatric Sciences, Calcutta National MCH, North Bengal MCH, Bankura Sammilani MCH and Malda MCH – have been shifted to several secondary hospitals. will monitor. ,
The deaths of the children have given the opposition an opportunity to target the Trinamool Congress government. State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Sukanta Majumdar said that instead of painting buildings blue and white, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should invest more in the state’s health infrastructure. State Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said that the state government is hiding the figures of death of children due to viral infection.
Adenoviruses can cause a wide variety of illnesses, including the common cold or flu-like symptoms. People with weakened immune systems, especially children, are at greater risk.