49 infants die in UP hospital, DM transferred

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday said 49 infants have died in a Farrukhabad hospital in the past 30 days.

Orders have been issued transferring the District Magistrate, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Medical Superintendent of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital at Farrukhabad, a government spokesperson said.

Between July 20 and August 21, 461 pregnant women were admitted to the women's hospital and they gave birth to 468 children. Of these, 19 were still-births (death at the time of delivery) and of the remaining 449 infants, 66 were critical and were admitted to the new born care unit. Of these, 60 recovered and six died, he said.

Other than this, 145 infants were referred to the district hospital by various doctors, hospitals and clinics of which 121 recovered following treatment. In all, 49 infants, including 19 still-borns, died at the district hospital, the spokesperson said

Terming the news of deaths as "worrying", the spokesperson asserted that no one found guilty will be spared.

He added that a team would soon be sent from the state capital to check the "factual and technical aspects" of the incident so that the "exact reason for the death of infants could be ascertained".

Director General (Medical Health) S.P. Ram said there "could be many reasons for perinatal asphyxia" and that a team will be sent to the district hospital to ascertain the technical details.

The state government has lodged FIRs against two doctors already.

Following a preliminary report by the senior district administration, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's office had ordered stringent action against the errant doctors.

The City Magistrate of Farrukhabad on Monday lodged a police complaint against the CMO and Chief Medical Superintendent of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.

Also, on the order of District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar, an FIR has been filed against the two doctors, who have been booked under Sections 176 (Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 304 (Causing death by rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code.

Sub-Inspector Bunny Singh has been handed the probe and has been asked to expeditiously investigate the matter.

The shocker comes a month after over 60 children died at the state-run BRD Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur.

--IANS

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