Ten out of hundred children died within 48 hours between December 23 and 24, 2019. Over 50% of the gadgets in the hospital were defunct.
The deaths of more than 100 children in a government hospital in Rajasthan during December 2019 had shocked the entire nation. But the apathy of the government towards the entire episode and the Chief Minister Ashok Ghelot’s casual statements and approach had angered the citizens of the state and country. Now the NHRC has stepped in to take the Rajasthan government to task.
The National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports about the death of more than 100 children at a government run hospital in Kota district of Rajasthan in the month of December, 2019. Ten out of hundred children died within 48 hours between December 23 and 24, 2019. Reportedly, over 50 per cent of the gadgets installed in the hospital are defunct and the hospital is lacking cleanliness and basic infrastructure including oxygen supply in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan to submit a detailed report, within four weeks in the matter including the steps being taken to address the issue and to ensure that such deaths of the children do not recur in future due to lack of infrastructure and health facilities at the hospitals.
State Government admits lapses
The state government in its report admitted that some of the incubators at the hospital used for newborns were not in proper working condition. The committee, led by secretary medical education and senior doctors who visited the hospital on December 27 to investigate the matter, also pointed out that the extreme cold has made it tougher for babies, already fighting for their life, to survive their illnesses. The team also found lapses in the incubation unit of the neo-natal unit. The units were not working properly, and the hospital placed two infants into one incubator due to the shortage.
All the infants which died were admitted in the Intensive Care Unit. Most of the children were brought to the hospital in a critical condition said the Secretary of Medical Education, who headed the three-member team. The hospital in Kota is about 250 kms from the state capital of Jaipur.
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