Opposition expressed their outrage after the alarming reports of the rampant deaths in the government-run Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Medical College and Hospital in Nanded where 31 patients, including 12 newborns, have lost their lives with 24 patients reported dead between Saturday and Sunday and an additional seven more deaths occurring on Tuesday. The opposition calls for accountability, and an urgent need for an investigation.
Maharashtra›s Minister of Medical Education, Hasan Mushrif, has pledged a thorough investigation into the matter. Mushrif stated, «We will carry out a thorough investigation. I have briefed Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis regarding the same. I will visit the hospital, and a committee of doctors will be formed. However, the incident has drawn strong reactions from opposition parties. National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar took to X and said “The unfortunate incident of death of 24 people including 12 newborns in 24 hours in a government hospital in Nanded is literally shocking. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X, The news of the death of 24 patients, including 12 infants, in a civil hospital in Nanded, Maharashtra is extremely painful, serious and worrying. It is being said that these patients died due to a lack of medicines and treatment. A similar incident took place in a government hospital in Thane in August 2023 in which 18 patients lost their lives. Maharashtra Congress Spokesperson Atul Londhe Patil called out the negligence of the management and governance in the state in connection with deaths.
“This government is mostly involved in creating events and managing headlines. Recently, they have started a new hospital to which half of the staff from Nanded has been transferred. There is no annual maintenance contract for MRI machines. There is a lack of medical equipment in the hospital, a lack of medicines, and doctors. So, the present government in the state is solely responsible for this incident,» Patil said.
Raj Thackeray, Chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party, criticized the state government, stating that the «health of the state is on a ventilator» under the «three-engine» government of BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena. Thackeray expressed sorrow over the tragic deaths and highlighted the alleged shortage of medicines in government hospitals across the state. Congress leader Ashok Chavan called for immediate action to address the dire healthcare situation, especially since another 70 patients referred from private hospitals were reported to be in critical condition. Dr. Shyamrao Wakode, the in-charge dean of Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded, cited various challenges such as staff transfers, budget issues, and the procurement of medicines as contributing factors to the crisis. However, Minister Hasan Mushrif denied allegations of medicine shortages in the hospital and demanded swift action to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Working President Supriya Sule criticized the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena government and demanded the resignation of the concerned minister, citing the need for ample medicine stock and proper facilities in government hospitals. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also criticized the state government›s alleged carelessness in handling the healthcare system and the shortage of medicines. «It is being said that these deaths occurred due to a shortage of medicines. How can a government be so careless? These people are busy in forming and bringing down the government by buying and selling of MLAs but they do not care about the lives of the people. Kejriwal posted on X. Amid the grief and outrage surrounding the tragic deaths in Nanded, the hospital dean has denied all allegations of shortages of medicine and Maharashtra›s Minister of Medical Education, Hasan Mushrif has said a committee has been formed to investigate the deaths. Dr. Shyamrao Wakode, the Dean of the medical college and hospital, has categorically rejected accusations of negligence against the institution. In a statement on Tuesday. In the last 24 hours, 24 people lost their lives. Around 12 children (1-2 days old) died in the last 24 hours. These children were suffering from different ailments. Among the adults, there were 8 patients between 70 and 80 years of age. They had different problems, like diabetes, liver failure, and kidney failure. Patients usually come here in serious condition,» said Wakode, adding, «There was no shortage of medicines or doctors. Proper care was provided to the patients, but their bodies did not respond to the treatment, which caused deaths, he said. Around 12 children died in the last 24 hours…12 adults also died due to various ailments (snake bites, arsenic and phosphorus poisoning etc). Due to transfers of various staff, there was some difficulty for us…We were supposed to buy medicines from the Haffkine Institute but that also didn›t happen….Also, patients come from far off to this hospital and there were many patients whose sanctioned budget also got disturbed…,» he added. Meanwhile, Maharashtra›s Minister of Medical Education, Hasan Mushrif on Tuesday said a thorough investigation will be conducted into Nanded hospital where 31 patients, including 12 newborns, had lost their lives. Hasan Mushrif said, «We will carry out a thorough investigation. I have briefed Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis regarding the same. I will visit the hospital and a committee of doctors will be formed. At least 31 people died in the government-run Dr Shankarrao Chavan Medical College and Hospital reportedly due to an alleged scarcity of medicines. Between Saturday and Sunday, 24 patients were reported to have died with seven more deaths reported today. Mushrif said he had briefed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the situation and said a committee of doctors will be established to probe into the matter that has drawn strong reactions from the opposition parties. Following the shocking headlines surrounding the tragic deaths, Shiv Sena MP Hemant Patil, associated with the Shinde faction of the party, made an impromptu visit to the Shankarrao Chavan Government Hospital on Tuesday. As he assessed the dire circumstances within the hospital, he stumbled upon a severely unclean toilet facility. Reacting promptly, Mr. Patil took the unprecedented step of instructing the hospital›s dean, Shyamrao Wakode, to personally address the issue.
Videos captured during this remarkable incident portray the MP holding a pipe while the dean tackles the task of cleaning the toilet. Together, they labor to improve the situation, with Mr. Patil applying water to the toilet as Mr. Wakode, armed with a wiper, directs streams of dirty water into the commode.