Towing the state government line the three member team of doctors from New Delhi said that interruption of oxygen supply was not the reason in 33 deaths of children on August 11 in Baba Raghav Das Medical College, Gorakhpur on Monday.
The expert team was sent by Central Health and Family Welfare Ministry to probe the death of children after hue and cry was raised over death of over 30 children on August 10 and 11 after oxygen supply in the pediatric ward went kaput.
The expert team said that interruption of oxygen supply was not the reason in 33 deaths of children on August 11 in Baba Raghav Das Medical College.
Talking to media persons the doctor’s team comprising assistant commissioner Dr M K Agarwal, Paediatric department head of Safadarganj Hospital, New Delhi Dr Harish Chelani and Neo Natal Department HOD, lady Harding Medical College New Delhi Dr Shushma Nangiya said in Gorakhpur that deaths by interruption in oxygen supply was “technically incorrect”.
Dr Nangiya said that team of doctors have analysed the deaths of children till August 12 in two spans. First from August 1 to 6 and second from August 7 to 12. Graph of deaths has not increased in both tenures. She said that number of patients this year is less as compared to previous years. Also, 138 deaths had occurred last year during this time but this year the number is 134.
Dr Harish Chelani said that circumstances suggests that number of deaths was not unexpectedly high. He said that oxygen is only support system its shortage cannot be cause of deaths.
Dr Agarwal said that team will send its detailed report to health ministry.