Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday urged the Rajashtan government to act sensitively on the death of infants at a government hospital in Kota district.
Birla who is also an MP from Kota directed the officials to make adequate arrangements to ensure such incidents do not occur in the future.
In a shocking incident, in Kota’s JK Lone Maternal and Child Hospital, 77 infants have reportedly died in the last 24 days. In last 48 hours, 10 infants died at the hospital, which has prompted the state authority to order a probe into the matter.
As per the reports, a team led by the state’s Medical Education Secretary, Vaibhav Galeria, found lapses in the incubation unit for neonatal infants.
As reported by NDTV, the incubation units were found not to be working properly, and the hospital placed two infants into one incubator due to the shortage.
“The chief minister has taken this issue very seriously and hence, I am here to find out the reason for neonatal deaths. A special committee will investigate if there were hygienic or clinical issues behind the death of these kids. Besides, all other issues will also be taken up,” Mr Galeria was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
“The untimely death of 77 infants in 24 days in the largest hospital in Kota-Bundi parliamentary constituency is a matter of serious concern. The state government should act with sensitivity so that such incidents do not occur in the future,” Birla said in a tweet.
He further said, “The untimely death of infants due to lack of medical equipment and resources is worrying. According to the advice of doctors, the availability of necessary life-saving equipment and resources will be ensured in the next 15 days by public support.”
He also termed the death of the infants as tragic and painful.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had also held a high-level review meeting on Saturday on the infants’ deaths at the hospital in Kota. He instructed health department officials to take proper care of infants in all hospitals in the state and do intensive monitoring.
Gehlot also gave directions to set up a high-level committee of expert doctors in the case of deaths to submit a report at earliest.
As reported by NDTV, earlier in a letter to Chief Minister, Birla said that 800 to 900 infants, and 200 to 250 kids died every in this major hospital due to lack of qualified personnel and non-functioning of life-saving equipment. ‘
He further said in the letter that as per his information, ventilator, nebuliser, and other life-saving instruments are not in working condition in the hospital.