Farukkhabad tragedy: IMA president stresses for more attention towards children's health

After an FIR was registered against the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Medical Superintendent of a government-run hospital in Farrukhabad after the death of 49 children in Uttar Pradesh in a month, Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Dr. K.K. Aggarwal on Monday stressed for more attention towards the health of children below the age of five years, citing that the recent reported tragic incidents in Uttar Pradesh are the tip of the iceberg.

Speaking to ANI, the IMA president said, "These incidents are only the tip of an iceberg. There are many more incidents which are occurring every day and so many unknown. The very fact that more than three lakh children below the age of five die only because of Diarrhoea, means that the issue needs to be prevented and no more deaths should take place."

"The Medical Council of India has made their rules very clear that no doctor can refuse treatment to a patient. Doctors have to be compassionate whether or not they have the required facilities. If he/she has a problem with the infrastructure or feels overloaded with work, the matter needs to taken up with the concerned CMO," he added.

The 49 children died at a hospital in Farrukhabad's Ram Manohar Lohia Rajkiya Chikitsalaya in 30 days allegedly due to oxygen and medicine shortage.

"A case has been registered against the CMO, the CMS and several doctors on the matter. Further action will be taken as the investigation proceeds," said Farrukhabad Superintendent of Police (SP) Dayanand Mishra.

Prior to this, Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College had grabbed headlines after more than 70 children, mostly infants, died at the hospital within the span of a week, and another 70 in four days, reportedly due to encephalitis and lack of oxygen.

Following the deaths, cases were registered under various sections of the IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act against nine individuals.