In a tragic turn of events, a disturbing story is emerging from Rajasthan’s Kota. At least two more infants have died at the JK Lon hospital on Wednesday night. This takes the death toll since the beginning of December to 102. In the past 72 hour period, 11 children have died at the hospital, prompting health minister Harshvardhan to intervene.
The Union Minister Harshvardhan has said that the number of deaths was definitely higher this time compared to the last couple of years and he assured support to the state to tackle this health crisis.
He also assured that he had written a letter to Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot requesting him to probe inquiry into the matter.
At least 100 infants have died at the hospital in the month of December, an increase from the 77 that had died in the hospital in December 2018.
In the last two days of the year, nine infants have passed away. Four died on December 30 and five died on December 31.
Most of these deaths have been attributed to low birth weight according to the hospital superintendent Dr. Suresh Dulara.
The surprising number of infant deaths at the hospital has also forced Congress President Sonia Gandhi to seek an explanation from the party’s state president Avinash Pandey. Meanwhile, JK Lon’s paediatrician department chief Amritlal Bairwa said that most of the kids who died at the hospital were all premature deliveries and there was no fault on behalf of the doctors.
Kota JK Lon hospital had registered 963 deaths in 2019.
The committee firmed after much furore, in its final report concluded that the deaths were reported due to the lack of oxygen pipeline in the hospital along with extreme cold inside the wards.
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Thursday lashed out at senior Congress leaders for their silence on the deaths of 100 infants at the hospital in Congress ruled Rajasthan.
Commenting on Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Mayawati said, “It would have been great if she had met the mothers of the dead infants, who have lost their children just because of the uncaring attitude of the Congress led state government.”
A Rajasthan government committee had on Tuesday cleared the state run JK Lon hospital of any lapses but the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has found serious lapses at the hospital after a through inspection of its premises.
