Abominable Medical Negligence Causes 100 Infant Deaths in Kota

Death of 100 infants in a single month in the JK Lon Hospital in Kota, Rajasthan has stirred authorities. The deaths, which are associated with low birth weights, have also raised a question on the hospital’s capacity, staff, hygiene, and medical equipment, which apparently were inoperable.

Crux of the Matter

1. The stir had picked up flame when 10 children died in a span of only two days, 23-24 December, at the state-run hospital. The death toll reached 100 on December 30 and 31, when 9 more infants died due to birth weight hypothesis and low weight at birth, as per the hospital superintendent.

2. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and State Health Minister Raghu Sharam said that the high number could be because most of the referred children were in a critical condition due to pre-term birth. The number of infant deaths in the hospital has declined from 2014.

3. The government had issued a notice to the hospital that it will be assessed on the requirement of medical staff, and on condition of medical equipment and hygiene.

4. “Pigs were found roaming inside the campus of the hospital,” said Priyank Kanoongo, chairperson of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

5. The hospital was found to have shortage of beds and was working at 150% of its capacity. Staff was also in short supply; adequate attention was not being given to the infants.

6. On top of that, medical equipment at the hospital was inoperable. Work for central oxygen supply was going on, while new OPD and emergency rooms were yet to be constructed.

7. IPD bed tickets and patient data was managed poorly. Government panel has asked the hospital to carry out microbiological surveillance of ICU wards and Operation Theatres at least once a month.

Curiopedia

Infant Deaths at Gorakhpur Hospital – A large number of child deaths occurred at the state-run BRD Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur city of Uttar Pradesh, India in 2017. As of 2 September 2017, 1,317 children had died at the hospital in 2017. The 2017 deaths attracted national attention in August, when 63 children died at the hospital after the hospital’s piped oxygen supply ran out. Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) was a major cause of the deaths: Till 29 August 2017, 175 children had died because of encephalitis. Medical negligence arising from the shortage of oxygen supply was discovered to have been a major cause for avoidable deaths. The oxygen supply was cut by the supplier due to long non-payment of dues. The state government had ignored repeated requests for clearing the dues despite warning about supply being cut. One year after the incident, the families of the victims had not been compensated or visited by state government officials. More Info

Curated Coverage

1. Times of India – Nine more infants die in Kota hospital, December toll hits 100

2. Firstpost – Kota infant deaths: Rajasthan govt gives clean chit to hospital where 100 kids died last month, says institution forced to run at 150% of its capacity

3. The Hindu – Infant deaths in Rajasthan’s Kota rises to 100

#InfantDeaths #MedicalNegligence