Rajasthan: Three more newborns die in Ajmer hospital
Three more newborns died at the neonatal unit of JLN Government Hospital in Ajmer on Monday, taking the toll to eight in less than a gap of 24 hours.
Three more newborns died at the neonatal unit of JLN Government Hospital in Ajmer on Monday, taking the toll to eight in less than a gap of 24 hours.
On Sunday, five newborns had died at the neonatal unit of the hospital in Ajmer.
Parents alleged negligence in treatment. Both Congress and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers staged protest and demanded action against the erring doctors.
The Congress workers submitted a memorandum to district collector demanding adequate compensation for the bereaved families and a probe by team of independent doctors.
Refuting any negligence in treatment, doctors maintained that the infants were brought in critical stage and the best treatment provided to them.
“The babies were referred here with multiple complications, were underweight and didn’t respond to treatment,” JLN Hospital superintendent Dr PC Verma said.
The hospital remains in focus as Dr BS Karnawat, the head of department of neonatal unit, went on a seven-day leave.
Later, his second in command Dr Pukhraj Garg came out with an objectionable statement that ‘children continue to die as doctors are not Gods’. The health department has sought explanation from Dr Garg for his statement to the media.
Collector Gaurav Goyal has also asked an explanation from the hospital superintendent to explain the circumstances under which Dr Karnawat went on leave.
“Corrective measures have taken to set things right. We have ordered the hospital authorities to arrange on duty a specialist doctor 24x7. We are doing our best to increase public services in the hospital,” Goyal said.
Health minister Rajendra Rathore said the infants were brought to the hospital in serious condition. “These infants were underweight and suffering from septicaemia and other diseases.
The government has constituted a three-member committee to investigate the matter, he added.
Read | Five newborns die in Ajmer govt hospital, parents allege negligence