The BRD medical college hospital, Gorakhpur, has become a virtual graveyard for children. Even after visit of high profile politicians and bureaucrats including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, there is no let up in the situation in BRD medical college where babies have been dying continuously. After the tragic deaths of 60 children in the hospital on August 9 and 10 due to inadequate supply of oxygen, another 42 children died in the past 48 hours.
Inquiry committees were constituted, concerned officials were suspended, additional chief secretary Anita Bhatnagar Jain was transferred and former principal Dr Rajiv Mishra and his wife were arrested. But these measures failed to control the situation. Even Chief Minister Yogi’s direct intervention failed to prevent the number of mounting deaths. Since January this year, more than 1,200 children have lost their lives. Appalling official figures indicate that in the past five years 2012-2017 (till August) around 4,000 babies have died here.
New working principal of the BRD medical college Dr P.K. Singh said that over the past three days 63 children died in paediatric department and out of which 36 deaths took place in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care unit). He added that in these wards premature babies are admitted who are quite weak and vulnerable and they catch infections very easily.
The figures for month of August alone are appalling —290 children died in just 30 days which means little less than 10 children per day. Parents who have lost their children blame it on the utter neglect on the part of doctors, shortage of staff and apathy of higher authorities.
Buddhi Ram, who had lost his baby during treatment in the hospital said that doctors attending the patients were quite rough in their behaviour. Another parent Damodar Kumar, too, blamed the negligence of doctors. Though the deaths over the last two days have not been due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Singh claims that these children were suffering from various health complications.
As per routine, again the district officials reached the hospital to find out the cause of these deaths. The Additional District Magistrate Rajneesh Chandra said that DM has directed to conduct inquiry into these recent deaths. As a precautionary measure, the district administration has deployed PAC(provincial armed constabulary) in the district to prevent any unpleasant incident.
There is no denying the fact that like other government medical colleges in the state the administration of BRD medical college is in shambles. Abysmal management, shortage of funds, understaffing and the malady of kickbacks ail the hospital, adversely affecting treatment. Earlier, too, hospital authorities had written to the government for a sanction of Rs 37 crore for proper treatment of JE cases but the plea had fallen onto deaf ears. A hospital doctor requesting anonymity said that this is not a big demand and government could easily sanction the funds to improve condition of treatment here but 'unfortunately those have the powers to release funds are least bothered about it'.
BRD hospital receives patients from about 30 districts from eastern UP and Bihar. Neighbouring Nepal, too, sends patients to this hospital. Over 4,000 patients suffering from JE come to this hospital every year for treatment. This is besides patients suffering from other ailments. Quick, stringent measures need to be taken to save lives, and the face of the state healthcare system.
