Kafeel Khan, an accused in the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College/Hospital tragedy case, on Thursday said that he was being wrongly framed by the administration in the case.

Khan, who was a doctor at the BRD hospital, when over 30 children died in August allegedly due to disruption in oxygen supply, was brought to a district hospital for a medical checkup earlier today. Khan was brought to the hospital for the medical check-up after his wife alleged that her jailed husband was being denied medical care.

"I am being framed by the administration. A doctor is being falsely accused," Khan told reporters here, while he was being taken away by the police after the medical check-up.

He has been charged with attempt to murder over the death of the children.

The district hospital's cardiologist Dr KK&nbspShahi tested Dr Khan blood pressure, carried out other tests and advised him to undergo complete lipid profile test to ascertain risks of heart ailments.

Eight others are also accused in the case.&nbsp

Khan has been charged with attempt to murder over the death of the children.

Kafeel Khan, an accused in the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College/Hospital tragedy case, on Thursday said that he was being wrongly framed by the administration in the case. Khan, who was a doctor at the BRD hospital, when over 30 children died in August allegedly due to disruption in oxygen supply, was brought to a district hospital for a medical checkup earlier today. Khan was brought to the hospital for the medical check-up after his wife alleged that her jailed husband was being denied medical care. "I am being framed by the administration. A doctor is being falsely accused," Khan told reporters here, while he was being taken away by the police after the medical check-up. He has been charged with attempt to murder over the death of the children. The district hospital's cardiologist Dr KK&nbspShahi tested Dr Khan blood pressure, carried out other tests and advised him to undergo complete lipid profile test to ascertain risks of heart ailments. Eight others are also accused in the case.

Being framed by administration for Gorakhpur tragedy: Jailed doctor Kafeel Khan

More than 70 years have passed since India&#39;s independence. However, the world&rsquo;s largest democracy is still far from its goals of providing accessible and affordable healthcare to its population. Moving between smart cities and a digitally equipped nation, one sector, which the government seems to have turned a blind eye to, is healthcare.

&nbsp;

Most glaring example of the terrible condition of healthcare in India came late last year in August. Nestled in a remote corner, the tragedy in the town of Gorakhpur serves as a blot on India&rsquo;s rich progressive fabric of 70. Over a span of five days, over 60 young children died in the local government-run hospital in Gorakhpur, dozens of them on a particular night. As oxygen supplies ran out, bills remain unpaid and authorities passed the buck &ndash; a pitiful state of one of the essential commodities of life glared in every Indian&rsquo;s eyes. The government should study the lessons of Thailand&rsquo;s rollout, in the early part of this century, of universal healthcare. Thailand spends 4.4% of its GDP on health, compared to 4.1% in India (when private spending is included) and has far better outcomes.

&nbsp;

The Indian healthcare system is plagued with numerous problems and is in a dilapidated state. India spends less than 1.2%GDP and as per World Bank estimates, the per capita healthcare expenditure in India is around USD 60.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Additionally, unequal distribution of limited health facilities poses a larger problem at hand. Though a majority of India&rsquo;s population lives in rural areas (72% or 716 Million), 75% of the health infrastructure in India is concentrated in urban areas where only 28% of India&rsquo;s population lives. To put the deplorable state in perspective &ndash; 60% of health expenditure is out of pocket; 21% of the global disease burden is represented by India and around 85% of the healthcare needs can be managed at the primary level.

&nbsp;

Let&rsquo;s look at the last statistic in close detail now. A cost you can afford, a distance you can travel and the dignity you deserve &ndash; three ingredients of all that the people in India, especially the poor want out of the healthcare system. Since 85% of the needs can be managed at the primary level, it&rsquo;s important to strengthen effectiveness, reach and quality of such healthcare.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

From the evidence across the world, it appears that the countries that have a strong primary health care system have better health outcomes, lower inequalities in these outcomes, and lower costs of care. So what is the issue? Currently, primary health care services in India are located too far from the populations they serve, provide too little services, and have too little resources. Adding to this, the problem of healthcare professionals, adequate investment, population coverage and certifications make the entire primary healthcare system riddled with problems.

&nbsp;

However, we saw this as an opportunity.

&nbsp;

We at Enactus SRCC, decided to work at the primary level in the healthcare sector to bring about a turnaround in healthcare delivery and ensure last-mile connectivity for every Indian. Focusing on affordability and accessibility as two cornerstones of our health intervention, we aim to leverage existing communities and healthcare providers to revolutionize the healthcare system.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

We understand the pivotal role that communities play, and so, develop medical entrepreneurs to disburse health-related services and information at a community level. &ldquo;Our community health workers are the most integral part of our model. They&rsquo;re the real health change agents in the communities we work in. Through constant engagement, we believe our health workers can drive the idea of the importance of healthcare to each and every household&rdquo;, said Rutwik Shah. Our aim is to improve the health-seeking behaviour of consumers and bring about a behavioral change in the mindset of people towards health.

&nbsp;

As economist Amartya Sen has pointed out, no country can become rich&mdash;or even middle-class&mdash;with an unhealthy workforce. Now is the time to act, and to change. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Affordability and accessibility need to be two cornerstones of Indian healthcare reform.

More than 70 years have passed since India's independence. However, the world’s largest democracy is still far from its goals of providing accessible and affordable healthcare to its population. Moving between smart cities and a digitally equipped nation, one sector, which the government seems to have turned a blind eye to, is healthcare. Most glaring example of the terrible condition of healthcare in India came late last year in August. Nestled in a remote corner, the tragedy in the town of Gorakhpur serves as a blot on India’s rich progressive fabric of 70. Over a span of five days, over 60 young children died in the local government-run hospital in Gorakhpur, dozens of them on a particular night. As oxygen supplies ran out, bills remain unpaid and authorities passed the buck – a pitiful state of one of the essential commodities of life glared in every Indian’s eyes. The government should study the lessons of Thailand’s rollout, in the early part of this century, of universal healthcare. Thailand spends 4.4% of its GDP on health, compared to 4.1% in India (when private spending is included) and has far better outcomes. The Indian healthcare system is plagued with numerous problems and is in a dilapidated state. India spends less than 1.2%GDP and as per World Bank estimates, the per capita healthcare expenditure in India is around USD 60. Additionally, unequal distribution of limited health facilities poses a larger problem at hand. Though a majority of India’s population lives in rural areas (72% or 716 Million), 75% of the health infrastructure in India is concentrated in urban areas where only 28% of India’s population lives. To put the deplorable state in perspective – 60% of health expenditure is out of pocket; 21% of the global disease burden is represented by India and around 85% of the healthcare needs can be managed at the primary level. Let’s look at the last statistic in close detail now. A cost you can afford, a distance you can travel and the dignity you deserve – three ingredients of all that the people in India, especially the poor want out of the healthcare system. Since 85% of the needs can be managed at the primary level, it’s important to strengthen effectiveness, reach and quality of such healthcare. From the evidence across the world, it appears that the countries that have a strong primary health care system have better health outcomes, lower inequalities in these outcomes, and lower costs of care. So what is the issue? Currently, primary health care services in India are located too far from the populations they serve, provide too little services, and have too little resources. Adding to this, the problem of healthcare professionals, adequate investment, population coverage and certifications make the entire primary healthcare system riddled with problems. However, we saw this as an opportunity. We at Enactus SRCC, decided to work at the primary level in the healthcare sector to bring about a turnaround in healthcare delivery and ensure last-mile connectivity for every Indian. Focusing on affordability and accessibility as two cornerstones of our health intervention, we aim to leverage existing communities and healthcare providers to revolutionize the healthcare system. We understand the pivotal role that communities play, and so, develop medical entrepreneurs to disburse health-related services and information at a community level. “Our community health workers are the most integral part of our model. They’re the real health change agents in the communities we work in. Through constant engagement, we believe our health workers can drive the idea of the importance of healthcare to each and every household”, said Rutwik Shah. Our aim is to improve the health-seeking behaviour of consumers and bring about a behavioral change in the mindset of people towards health. As economist Amartya Sen has pointed out, no country can become rich—or even middle-class—with an unhealthy workforce. Now is the time to act, and to change. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Heath tourism flourishes but Indian healthcare in bad shape

The government said on Friday that there were 90,000 fewer infant deaths in India in 2016 than in 2015.&nbsp;

The ministry of health and family welfare added that the infant mortality rate also declined by 8 per cent from 37 per 1,000 live births to 34.&nbsp;

The ministry added that the country also recorded a major drop in birth cohort (the number of people born in one year) which fell below 25 million for the first time.&nbsp;

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India has registered 90000 fewer infant deaths in 2016 as compared to 2015: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/913715020696924161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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According to latest SRS bulletin, IMR of India declined by 3 points (8% decline),from 37 per 1000 live births in 2015(contd):Health Ministry
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/913714460887457792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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(continued) to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016, compared to two points decline last year: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/913714596254326784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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India also recorded a major drop in birth cohort, which has for first time come down to below 25 million:Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/913714836462116865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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There have in 2017 however&nbsp;been a number of infant deaths around the country.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/36-children-die-in-48-hours-at-gorakhpur-hospital-290-deaths-in-august-report-19649" target="_blank">36 children die in 48 hours at Gorakhpur hospital, 290 deaths in August</a>

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/49-children-die-in-one-month-at-ups-farrukhabad-district-hospital-4651" target="_blank">49 children die in one month at UP&#39;s Farrukhabad district hospital</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/55-children-die-in-august-in-nashik-district-hospital-reason-is-again-lack-of-oxygen-cylinders-20017" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;55 children die in August in Nashik district hospital, reason is again lack of oxygen cylinders</a>

In Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath&#39;s home constituency, 36 children died in 48 hours in one government hospital.&nbsp;

A total of 290 children died in that hospital in August.&nbsp;

In UP&#39;s Farrukhabad, 49 children died in one month, again in a government hospital.&nbsp;

And in Nashik, 55 children died in one hospital in one month.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The ministry of health and family welfare added that the infant mortality rate also declined by 8 per cent from 37 per 1,000 live births to 34

The government said on Friday that there were 90,000 fewer infant deaths in India in 2016 than in 2015. The ministry of health and family welfare added that the infant mortality rate also declined by 8 per cent from 37 per 1,000 live births to 34. The ministry added that the country also recorded a major drop in birth cohort (the number of people born in one year) which fell below 25 million for the first time. India has registered 90000 fewer infant deaths in 2016 as compared to 2015: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare — ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2017 × According to latest SRS bulletin, IMR of India declined by 3 points (8% decline),from 37 per 1000 live births in 2015(contd):Health Ministry — ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2017 × (continued) to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016, compared to two points decline last year: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare — ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2017 × India also recorded a major drop in birth cohort, which has for first time come down to below 25 million:Ministry of Health & Family Welfare — ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2017 × There have in 2017 however been a number of infant deaths around the country. Also read: 36 children die in 48 hours at Gorakhpur hospital, 290 deaths in August Also read: 49 children die in one month at UP's Farrukhabad district hospital Also read: 55 children die in August in Nashik district hospital, reason is again lack of oxygen cylinders In Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's home constituency, 36 children died in 48 hours in one government hospital. A total of 290 children died in that hospital in August. In UP's Farrukhabad, 49 children died in one month, again in a government hospital. And in Nashik, 55 children died in one hospital in one month.

Government says 90,000 fewer infant deaths in 2016

Initiating action against officials responsible for the Gorakhpur tragedy in which over 60 children died in five days, the Yogi Adityanath government has removed Additional Chief Secretary (Medical Health) Anita Bhatnagar Jain.

The state government acted on the probe report submitted by Chief Secretary Rajeev Kumar to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath late on Tuesday which pinned the blame on six officials, including Jain, for the tragedy at the BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur.

An official spokesman said that Jain has been removed and posted as DG (Training).

Sources said the high-powered committee found the senior woman IAS officer guilty of delays in payment to the oxygen vendor, who allegedly disrupted supplies, causing problems at the ICU and the pediatrics ward at the hospital.

Rajnish Dubey, Principal Secretary (Revenue), has been given additional charge of the medical education department.

The probe committee has also recommended action against many officials of the BRD Medical College, including its suspended principal Dr Rajeev Mishra, his wife Dr Poornima Shukla, Dr Satish, Dr Kafeel Khan and two others.

Officials said an FIR may soon be lodged against these persons for culpable homicide and dereliction of duty.

Meanwhile, the suspended principal of the the BRD Medical College and his wife are reported to have gone underground, fearing action or arrest. The principal is accused of sitting over the file related to payment of Rs 67 lakh for the vendor of oxygen.

Adityanath had earlier vowed that no one would be spared, adding the guilty would be handed over exemplary punishment.

The Yogi Adityanath government has removed Additional Chief Secretary (Medical Health) Anita Bhatnagar Jain

Initiating action against officials responsible for the Gorakhpur tragedy in which over 60 children died in five days, the Yogi Adityanath government has removed Additional Chief Secretary (Medical Health) Anita Bhatnagar Jain. The state government acted on the probe report submitted by Chief Secretary Rajeev Kumar to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath late on Tuesday which pinned the blame on six officials, including Jain, for the tragedy at the BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur. An official spokesman said that Jain has been removed and posted as DG (Training). Sources said the high-powered committee found the senior woman IAS officer guilty of delays in payment to the oxygen vendor, who allegedly disrupted supplies, causing problems at the ICU and the pediatrics ward at the hospital. Rajnish Dubey, Principal Secretary (Revenue), has been given additional charge of the medical education department. The probe committee has also recommended action against many officials of the BRD Medical College, including its suspended principal Dr Rajeev Mishra, his wife Dr Poornima Shukla, Dr Satish, Dr Kafeel Khan and two others. Officials said an FIR may soon be lodged against these persons for culpable homicide and dereliction of duty. Meanwhile, the suspended principal of the the BRD Medical College and his wife are reported to have gone underground, fearing action or arrest. The principal is accused of sitting over the file related to payment of Rs 67 lakh for the vendor of oxygen. Adityanath had earlier vowed that no one would be spared, adding the guilty would be handed over exemplary punishment.

Gorakhpur hospital deaths: Top UP bureaucrat shunted out

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today hit out at Rahul Gandhi over his planned visit here saying the &quot;yuvraj (prince) sitting in Delhi&quot; cannot be permitted to make Gorakhpur &quot;a picnic spot&quot;.

The chief minister, who inaugurated a cleanliness campaign in the district to tackle the deadly encephalitis outbreak in the wake of death of 71 children at the BRD hospital here, also targeted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

&quot;I feel that the shehzada sitting in Lucknow ..Yuvraj sitting in Delhi will not know the importance of this cleanliness campaign. They will come here to make it a picnic spot, we cannot permit it,&quot; he said, attacking Gandhi who is scheduled to meet the families of the victims and visit the BRD hospital today.

&quot;If someone gives an open challenge to the self respect of the people of Gorakhpur and eastern UP ...They will themselves come forward to fight such dreaded diseases through their awareness,&quot; Adityanath stressed launching the &#39;Swachch Uttar Pradesh - Swasthya Uttar Pradesh campaign&#39; here .

Voicing hope that the campaign will be successful in checking encephalitis, he accused the previous governments of depriving the people of the state of basic facilities for their vested interests.

Stressing that more than treatment of encephalitis, checking its spread was important for which cleanliness and potable water were necessary, the chief minister said his government was working in this regard.

The chief minister, who has represented Gorakhpur in the Lok Sabha five times, will also tour encephalitis and flood-affected areas.

The Congress has targeted the Aditynath Government over the deaths following allegations that the children who were critically ill succumbed due to oxygen shortage.

The chief minister was inaugurating a cleanliness campaign in Gorakhpur to tackle the encephalitis outbreak

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today hit out at Rahul Gandhi over his planned visit here saying the "yuvraj (prince) sitting in Delhi" cannot be permitted to make Gorakhpur "a picnic spot". The chief minister, who inaugurated a cleanliness campaign in the district to tackle the deadly encephalitis outbreak in the wake of death of 71 children at the BRD hospital here, also targeted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. "I feel that the shehzada sitting in Lucknow ..Yuvraj sitting in Delhi will not know the importance of this cleanliness campaign. They will come here to make it a picnic spot, we cannot permit it," he said, attacking Gandhi who is scheduled to meet the families of the victims and visit the BRD hospital today. "If someone gives an open challenge to the self respect of the people of Gorakhpur and eastern UP ...They will themselves come forward to fight such dreaded diseases through their awareness," Adityanath stressed launching the 'Swachch Uttar Pradesh - Swasthya Uttar Pradesh campaign' here . Voicing hope that the campaign will be successful in checking encephalitis, he accused the previous governments of depriving the people of the state of basic facilities for their vested interests. Stressing that more than treatment of encephalitis, checking its spread was important for which cleanliness and potable water were necessary, the chief minister said his government was working in this regard. The chief minister, who has represented Gorakhpur in the Lok Sabha five times, will also tour encephalitis and flood-affected areas. The Congress has targeted the Aditynath Government over the deaths following allegations that the children who were critically ill succumbed due to oxygen shortage.

'Gorakhpur not a picnic spot': Yogi Adityanath to Rahul Gandhi

Tragedy continued to descend upon Gorakhpur&#39;s Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital, as another child succumbed to encephalitis on Sunday, taking the death toll over 70. 11 children died on Saturday and until Friday the death toll stood at 60.

Dr Kafeel Khan, a paediatrician and the head of the encephalitis ward at the hospital, was removed from his post two days after he saved hundreds of children by collecting oxygen cylinders from various nursing homes. He was removed for failing to take action on a letter by those in charge of oxygen supply, a media report stated citing government sources.

Hospital officials maintain that the deaths were caused by encephalitis and a brief disruption but not lack of oxygen. 
 
Parents, however, have recounted panic and horror as their children suddenly began gasping for air amid an apparent drop in oxygen, and nurses handed out manual pumps to aid their breathing.

&quot;I am a poor man who doesn&#39;t understand what happens here, but it was clear that day the oxygen wasn&#39;t going up. The doctors and other staff here were very worried,&quot; Ram Prasad, sitting by his two-year-old daughter&#39;s bedside, told AFP.&nbsp;

The Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government&nbsp;suspended the head of the state-run BRD Medical College, Rajeev Misra, late on Saturday and ordered an investigation into contracts to supply oxygen.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) said on Sunday that Rajiv Mishra&#39;s suspension was wrong because the tragedy was an administrative failure and everyone should be held accountable.

&quot;The suspension of only the principal is completely wrong. It&#39;s an administrative failure. Everyone should be held accountable. If you&#39;re suspending him, then suspend the local administration too and ban the company,&quot; IMA president KK Aggarwal said.

Media reports said one reason for the deaths was a shortage of oxygen&nbsp;after a private supplier withdrew its equipment over unpaid hospital dues.

The issue of the unpaid bills for oxygen supply has become a flashpoint in relations between the hospital and the state government after the suspended hospital chief on Saturday accused state officials of ignoring his requests for money.

&quot;I wrote at least three letters,&quot; Misra told television reporters on Saturday, adding that he had even flagged the issue in video conference discussions.

Hospital officials have, however, claimed that alternative supplies had been found, and blamed many of the deaths instead on the disease encephalitis and unspecified issues related to the delivery of the infants.

Victims&#39;&nbsp;families have disputed this, describing the panic and chaos as patients began struggling from a sudden lack of oxygen.

&quot;As soon as we reached the hospital, we were handed a small pump and told to keep pumping. I did so for over three-and-a-half hours,&quot; one victim`s father, Shailendra Gupta, was quoted by Sunday&#39;s Indian Express as saying.

&quot;The next day, we were informed that he was dead.&quot;

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that a probe had been ordered into the death and &quot;if anyone&#39;s negligence caused the death of a person in any part of Uttar Pradesh, he won&#39;t be spared.&quot;

Adityanath, who visited the hospital on Sunday, was accompanied by union health minister JP Nadda.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/30-children-die-in-gorakhpur-hospital-in-a-span-of-48-hours-18913">30 children die in Gorakhpur hospital in a span of 48 hours </a>

&quot;Nobody can be more sensitive towards those children than me,&quot; the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

&quot;Those whose sensitivity has died are now trying to add salt to the wound by raising the sensitive issue unnecessarily,&quot; he added.

Adityanath had said on Saturday that &quot;he has asked a team of top ministers to determine if the death of the children was actually due to a disruption in oxygen supply at the hospital and assured to &quot;not spare anyone found guilty&quot;.

He also said, &quot;We have suspended the principal of the BRD Medical College and taking him guilty for his actions and an investigation on him has already been ordered and is underway. Those found guilty won&#39;t be spared.&quot;

Opposition parties have clamoured for the resignation of Yogi Adityanath and the state health minister. &quot;This government is a murderer,&quot; said Raj Babbar, head of the opposition Congress party in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;

Responding to the suspension of Medical College Principal, senior Congress Party leader and former health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad branded the move as &#39;eyewash&#39;, and demanded that an all-party delegation should look into the matter.

&quot;The administration was notified of the lack of oxygen. Local media reports also hinted at the possibility of a large tragedy in the hospital. It is shocking that nothing was done about it. Suspending the Principal after this and announcing an inquiry into the matter is just an eyewash. There should be an all-party probe into this; the matter should not be submerged at any cost,&quot; said Azad, while addressing a press conference here.

Further, Azad urged the state health minister Siddharth Nath Singh to submit his resignation immediately.

According to data procured from the BRD hospital, in five days - from August 7 to August 11, a total of 60 deaths occurred in the hospital.

The procured data also shows the number of oxygen cylinders sent for refilling each day, showing a clear shortage of liquid oxygen in the hospital.&nbsp;

The Uttar Pradesh health minister has defended the government&#39;s role, saying no issue of unpaid bills had been brought to its attention and all requests for funds were paid promptly.&nbsp;

Gorakhpur is Adityanath&#39;s political base, which elected him to parliament five times before he was made Uttar Pradesh chief minister by Narendra Modi after the BJP government&#39;s landslide BJP election victory in March.

Gorakhpur&#39;s health facilities are seen as deficient, Reuters reported citing a study of government data by nonprofit 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.&nbsp;

Public health accounts for only one per cent of India&#39;s GDP, which is among the world&#39;s lowest.&nbsp;

In recent years, Modi&#39;s government has increased health spending and vowed to make healthcare more affordable.

11 children died on Saturday and until Friday the death toll stood at 60

Tragedy continued to descend upon Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital, as another child succumbed to encephalitis on Sunday, taking the death toll over 70. 11 children died on Saturday and until Friday the death toll stood at 60. Dr Kafeel Khan, a paediatrician and the head of the encephalitis ward at the hospital, was removed from his post two days after he saved hundreds of children by collecting oxygen cylinders from various nursing homes. He was removed for failing to take action on a letter by those in charge of oxygen supply, a media report stated citing government sources. Hospital officials maintain that the deaths were caused by encephalitis and a brief disruption but not lack of oxygen. Parents, however, have recounted panic and horror as their children suddenly began gasping for air amid an apparent drop in oxygen, and nurses handed out manual pumps to aid their breathing. "I am a poor man who doesn't understand what happens here, but it was clear that day the oxygen wasn't going up. The doctors and other staff here were very worried," Ram Prasad, sitting by his two-year-old daughter's bedside, told AFP. The Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government suspended the head of the state-run BRD Medical College, Rajeev Misra, late on Saturday and ordered an investigation into contracts to supply oxygen. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) said on Sunday that Rajiv Mishra's suspension was wrong because the tragedy was an administrative failure and everyone should be held accountable. "The suspension of only the principal is completely wrong. It's an administrative failure. Everyone should be held accountable. If you're suspending him, then suspend the local administration too and ban the company," IMA president KK Aggarwal said. Media reports said one reason for the deaths was a shortage of oxygen after a private supplier withdrew its equipment over unpaid hospital dues. The issue of the unpaid bills for oxygen supply has become a flashpoint in relations between the hospital and the state government after the suspended hospital chief on Saturday accused state officials of ignoring his requests for money. "I wrote at least three letters," Misra told television reporters on Saturday, adding that he had even flagged the issue in video conference discussions. Hospital officials have, however, claimed that alternative supplies had been found, and blamed many of the deaths instead on the disease encephalitis and unspecified issues related to the delivery of the infants. Victims' families have disputed this, describing the panic and chaos as patients began struggling from a sudden lack of oxygen. "As soon as we reached the hospital, we were handed a small pump and told to keep pumping. I did so for over three-and-a-half hours," one victim`s father, Shailendra Gupta, was quoted by Sunday's Indian Express as saying. "The next day, we were informed that he was dead." Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that a probe had been ordered into the death and "if anyone's negligence caused the death of a person in any part of Uttar Pradesh, he won't be spared." Adityanath, who visited the hospital on Sunday, was accompanied by union health minister JP Nadda. Also read: 30 children die in Gorakhpur hospital in a span of 48 hours "Nobody can be more sensitive towards those children than me," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. "Those whose sensitivity has died are now trying to add salt to the wound by raising the sensitive issue unnecessarily," he added. Adityanath had said on Saturday that "he has asked a team of top ministers to determine if the death of the children was actually due to a disruption in oxygen supply at the hospital and assured to "not spare anyone found guilty". He also said, "We have suspended the principal of the BRD Medical College and taking him guilty for his actions and an investigation on him has already been ordered and is underway. Those found guilty won't be spared." Opposition parties have clamoured for the resignation of Yogi Adityanath and the state health minister. "This government is a murderer," said Raj Babbar, head of the opposition Congress party in Uttar Pradesh. Responding to the suspension of Medical College Principal, senior Congress Party leader and former health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad branded the move as 'eyewash', and demanded that an all-party delegation should look into the matter. "The administration was notified of the lack of oxygen. Local media reports also hinted at the possibility of a large tragedy in the hospital. It is shocking that nothing was done about it. Suspending the Principal after this and announcing an inquiry into the matter is just an eyewash. There should be an all-party probe into this; the matter should not be submerged at any cost," said Azad, while addressing a press conference here. Further, Azad urged the state health minister Siddharth Nath Singh to submit his resignation immediately. According to data procured from the BRD hospital, in five days - from August 7 to August 11, a total of 60 deaths occurred in the hospital. The procured data also shows the number of oxygen cylinders sent for refilling each day, showing a clear shortage of liquid oxygen in the hospital. The Uttar Pradesh health minister has defended the government's role, saying no issue of unpaid bills had been brought to its attention and all requests for funds were paid promptly. Gorakhpur is Adityanath's political base, which elected him to parliament five times before he was made Uttar Pradesh chief minister by Narendra Modi after the BJP government's landslide BJP election victory in March. Gorakhpur's health facilities are seen as deficient, Reuters reported citing a study of government data by nonprofit 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. Public health accounts for only one per cent of India's GDP, which is among the world's lowest. In recent years, Modi's government has increased health spending and vowed to make healthcare more affordable.

Gorakhpur hospital tragedy: Death toll at 70 after another child dies, what we know so far