NHRC seeks report from J&K govt on infant deaths in hospital

National Human Rights Commission today sought a report from the Jammu and Kashmir government on the death of four infants in a Srinagar hospital within 24 hours last month.
Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report, the NHRC asked the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary to submit a report within four weeks regarding the deaths in GB Pant Hospital. The four infants died between May 2 and 3.
"It has also been alleged that there have had been several hundreds of infant casualties in the first half of 2012 in the main childcare facility of the same hospital.
"Nearly, 4,000 children were reported to have died during the last four years in the hospital. The state government had blamed deaths on lack of infrastructure and mismanagement of services at the hospital," a NHRC spokesperson said.

The Commission observed that given the circumstances, it would like to have a complete report about the conditions in G B Pant Hospital.
In its notice to the Chief Secretary, the spokesperson said, the Commission has emphasised upon the need to exercise utmost care and vigil in the maintenance of life saving support equipment in the hospital to save lives.
"According to the media report, the hospital authorities denied the allegations that the deaths were caused due to a snag in the oxygen concentrator system as a result of power fluctuation, since it has sufficient back-up facility for 12-18 hours.

"It claimed that the infants were suffering from various ailments. On the other hand, another senior doctor at the hospital has admitted that there was a snag in the oxygen concentrator system due to strong winds and one of the infants had died during that night," he said.