Thaindian News

Kolkata, Oct 28 (IANS) The number of crib deaths in government hospitals in West Bengal shot up to 28 after 12 infants died in Burdwan district and four more died in this capital city, officials said Friday.

Burdwan Medical College and Hospital deputy superintendent Tapas Kumar Ghosh said: “Since last (Thursday) night, 12 babies have died. Seven were admitted to the paediatric ward while five were in the nursery ward. The babies were in a critical condition.”

He blamed the deaths on the already critical condition of the babies as well as the inadequate infrastructure.

“The hospital has a capacity for 60 patients while the number of patients admitted (Thursday) was 151,” Ghosh said.

Informed sources said some kids were grossly underweight while others had encephalitis, septicemia or other serious illnesses.

District Magistrate O.S. Meena held a meeting with Burdwan district’s health officials. Health ministry officials have also left for the Burdwan hospital, around 100 km from here, to take stock of the situation.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sought a detailed report from the hospital authorities.

The B.C. Roy Children’s Hospital in Kolkata witnessed four more crib deaths, taking the toll there to 16 since Tuesday.

The superintendent of the hospital, Dilip Kumar Paul, Thursday dubbed the deaths as a normal occurrence.

“To us it is a normal occurrence. Most of the babies that died were brought here in critical condition,” he said.

The latest deaths come after 18 babies passed away in June in the same hospital.

Banerjee had ordered a probe then, after which the doctors were given a clean chit.