Bengal: 10 newborns dead in a day, 60 in three weeks at Malda medical college

At least 60 newborns died in August till Monday at the West Bengal government-run Malda Medical College and Hospital, The Indian Express reported on Friday. Ten of these deaths were reported on Monday alone.

The state government has sought a report from the hospital on the infant deaths.

The authorities are also conducting inspections at other hospitals and nursing homes in the district, where many of the children were treated before being referred to the government facility, The Times of India reported.

Of the 10 newborns who died on Monday, eight were born at other hospitals or nursing homes in the district and were brought to the government medical college in critical condition, The Indian Express quoted hospital Superintendent Prosenjit Bar as saying.

Of the 60 deaths reported till Monday, 44 babies were born elsewhere and later referred to the hospital, the newspaper quoted unidentified state health department officials as saying.

The hospital officials said that while some infants suffered from respiratory distress, others had jaundice or heart problems, the newspaper reported.

On Wednesday, state Health Minister Shardwat Mukhopadhyay said that the infant mortality rate in Malda district has increased. “We have asked for a detailed report to understand why and how this happened,” The Indian Express quoted Mukhopadhyay as saying.

Edited by Nachiket Deuskar.
...

Read more