36 children die in 48 hours at Gorakhpur hospital, 290 deaths in August: Report
Gorakhpur hospital
A report in DNA said that of the 36 deaths reported, seven children died of encephalitis, 15 lost their life?in the Neo-Natal Ward (NICU) and 14 children died of different medical reasons.
Thirty-sixchildren reportedly died on August 27 and 28in Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, barely a fortnight after over 70infants died in a week in the same hospital.
A report in DNA said that of the 36 deaths reported, seven children died of encephalitis, 15 lost their lifein the Neo-Natal Ward (NICU) and 14 children died of various medical ailments.
The report cited a senior doctor at the hospital who soughtanonymity.
A total of 290 childrenhave died at the BRD Medical College betweenAugust 1 andAugust 28, the DNA report added.
About 1,250 childrenhave so far died since January this year, which includes 175 deaths from encephalitis, hospital sources told DNA.
The infant deaths in Julyallegedly took placebecause of alack of liquid oxygen in the hospital, invoking widespread criticism of the chief ministerYogi Adityanath government.
Earlier Tuesday, thesuspended principal of the medical college,Rajiv Mishra, and his wife Purnima were arrested from Kanpur in connection with the deaths in July.They were taken to Gorakhpur by the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh police.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered for a strict action against the hospital staff and Pushpa Sales PvtLtd,the firm that had allegedly cut off oxygen supply over non-payment of dues
A police complaintwas earlier lodged against the suspended principal,six other hospital personnel, and two officials of the oxygen-supplying agency Pushpa Sales Private Limited, Manish Bhandari and Uday Pratap Sharma, forcriminal negligence.
Pushpa Sales is accused of breaching its responsibility for supplying oxygen despite being made aware of depleting stocks by the medical college staff,which invokes the section of criminal negligence.
The FIR(First Information Report)also statesthat the government hospital had received a total fund of Rs454 lakhfor the financial year 2017-18, of which Rs. 63.65 lakh was supposed to be given to Pushpa Sales in April.
Therefore, the BRD hospital personnel have been charged for "deliberately not submitting the payment despite repeated written request by the supplier to the principal" in want of bribe.
The FIR also accused the principal Misra of staying absent from office on August 10 when media reported the deaths, thus indicating a "criminal conspiracy" on his part.
It also accused Misra and his wife of corruption, supported by statements given by thehospital staff that she had obtained illegal amounts of money and had a significant role in her husband's corrupt activities.
Others have been accused of neglecting theirduties in anticipation of bribe, that resulted in deaths.
DrKKGupta, Director General, Medical Education registered the FIR under the orders of Uttar Pradesh government at the Hazratganj Police Station, Lucknow on August 23.