While there are increasing infant deaths in the Sishu Bhawan in Cuttack, the number of newborn deaths in the MKCG Medical College Hospital here is not far behind the former if revelations made by a BJP team are to be believed.
A three-member BJP leaders’ team comprising former State Assembly Deputy Speaker Rama Chandra Panda, former Minister Manmohan Samal and former BMC Mayor Shiva Shankar Das visited the south Odisha’s premier hospital and gathered information about infant deaths.
The team visited the Paediatric Ward of the hospital and held discussions with patients along with other stakeholders. The BJP leaders were surprised to know that more than 300 hundred child died in this hospital during last four months, which unfortunately remained unreported.
“It is a deliberate attempt on the part of the concerned authorities to suppress the facts in order to escape public notice,” the team members alleged. Expressing serious concern over the deaths, the trio demanded that a high-level inquiry committee conduct an impartial probe into the matter.
The hospital also does not have necessary equipment like, bubble CPAP, ABG, portable X-ray machine and Central Oxygen Supply, Pulse Ox-meters, Baby laryngoscopes, infusion pumps though it is the only referral hospital in south Odisha, they pointed out.
The BJP leaders came to know that there were 42 patients awaiting treatment against 24 beds available in the Pediatric Ward and surprised to notice that half of the sanctioned posts of doctors are still lying vacant.
“It is quite surprising that the Child Intensive Care Unit (ICU) sanctioned by the Government is yet to become operative,” they alleged.
They were surprised to know that mothers after delivery are sleeping on the common floor/ground on the pretext of non-availability of adequate number of beds and even are not allowed to use the department toilets.
On the contrary, the mothers of new born babies are indirectly forced to use paid toilets (Sullav Souchalay) available outside the hospital premises. The leaders further noticed that in many cases the pregnant women who come for delivery are reportedly asked to purchase medicines from outside for treatment which is quite unfortunate.
According to information available, on an average, this premier hospital attends between 50-60 newborns every day.
Condemning such an in-human treatment, the leader leaders demanded Government should provide an explanation to the public for such an unabated and increasing number of infant deaths and should evolve put forth all requirements, including improvement of infrastructure, filling up of all vacant doctor and technician posts, operationalisation of Child ICUs, and fixing accountability on the erring officials for such a alarming situation at the earliest.
In the meantime, the District BJP has decided to gherao the block offices in the district on September 2 in protest against the issue.