Gorakhpur hospital deaths: Toll rises to 72, NHRC issues notice to UP govt

The death toll in the collective deaths of children at a government-run hospital in Gorakhpur rose to 72 on Monday evening. An eight-year-old died of encephalitis in the BJP-ruled state.

Earlier in the day, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government, asking it for a detailed report on the deaths.

The human rights body called the deaths "gross callousness on part of the hospital administration". It said it was sending the notice taking suo motu cognisance of media reports that indicated that there was a negligence in the supply of liquid oxygen which resulted in the tragedy.

"Reported deaths, in such a large number in a government run hospital, amount to serious violation of the Right to Life and Health of the innocent victims," the commission said in a statement.

"This indicates towards gross callousness on part of the hospital administration and the Medical Education and Health Department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh."

The NHRC has also asked the government about the steps it will take for the "relief and rehabilitation of the affected families" as well as the action taken against the guilty.

The rights body has given the government four weeks time to submit the report.

The NHRC added that despite the fact that incidents of Encephalitis had been reported in the past, the situation had not improved.

BJP President Amit Shah defended chief minister Yogi Adityanath's directive to stateauthorities to celebrate today's festival of Janmashtami in a "grand"way. He said the festival will be celebrated in Uttar Pradeshin the same manner as it is done in the rest of the country.

On the Congress's calls for Adityanath's resignation, Amit Shah said, "It is Congress’s job to ask for resignation. In a big country like India, there have been many such incidents in the past. This is not the first time."

A total of 60 deaths occurred at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College in five days - from August 7 to August 11. Nine children have died within a span of 24 hours.

Media reports and accounts of a few parents had held the disruption in oxygen supply accountable for the deaths.

Hospital officials have, however, claimed that alternative supplies had been found, and blamed many of the deaths instead on the encephalitis and unspecified issues related to the delivery of the infants born in the neo-natal ward.

Gorakhpur's health facilities are seen as deficient, Reuters reported citing a study of government data by non-profit body Brookings India that says the district has a 26 per cent shortage of primary health centres.

Encephalitis outbreaks kill hundreds in India every year, especially during the monsoon season.