Four children between the age group of two and 36 days in the Ambikapur Medical College in Chhattisgarh lost their lives due to a four-hour long power failure leading to halt in the functioning of ventilators and oxygen support system.
As per the information, these infants died in the Special Newborn Care Units (SNCU) ward on Sunday night. “I have instructed the Health Secretary to form a probe team. Going to Ambikapur Hospital to gather more information,” State Health Minister said.
The incident had brought state administration on its toes with health minister T.S. Singhdeo directing his health secretary for a high-level enquiry. Singhdeo said that he came to know about the incident at 10.30am on Monday and he is flying to Ambikapur to meet the aggrieved relatives of the children and take stock of the situation.
Singhdeo said that he has directed the health secretary to form a team of senior officials for a thorough investigation. “I have also talked to chief minister Bhupesh Baghel about the development and am visiting to Ambikapur medical college hospital with his permission. In turn, the chief minister arranged a helicopter for me. I will talk to the doctors and the relatives to find out the reason behind the death. Accountability will also be fixed and culprits will be punished severely if established,” said Singhdeo before boarding the helicopter for Ambikapur.
The condition of a few other children is stated to be critical and all of them are under observation. The weight of the four children was varying between one and two kilograms, said the hospital authorities.
On Saturday night there was a power cut in the hospital for half to a quarter of an hour. It was on Monday morning when the death of the four children was revealed.
The relatives alleged carelessness on the part of hospital authorities, leading to the death of their children. They were informed about the death of their children only after a day.
Chief medical and health officer Dr Poonam Singh Sisodia said that the electricity supply to the hospital had definitely stopped for some time, but the ventilator and oxygen support system was on. The condition of the children was already critical, he said.
Dean of the hospital Ramanesh Murthy, Collector Kundan Kumar and CMHO Sisodia reached the children’s ward to assess the situation.
The victim was identified as Uday Singh, a resident of Baijnathpur in the Surajpur district and he was admitted to the SNCU on October 12 after his birth in the hospital. His condition did not improve even after treatment here.
Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Rajpur in Balrampur district, was born on September 10 and he was hospitalized here on October 13 due to breathing problems. Devanand, a resident of Darima Nawanagar in the Surguja district, was born on September 19. Due underweight, he was admitted to the hospital on September 19.
Brijkeshwar, a resident of Udaipur Laxman Nagar in Surguja, was born on October 14 at the Udaipur CHC. After being referred by the doctor as his condition deteriorated, he was referred to Ambikapur.
The dean of the hospital told the media that four children who died were suffering from birth asphyxia disease which is usually found in pre-mature babies who also do not cry at the time of birth. The supply of oxygen to the brain of such children is blocked making them even weaker. That’s why before admitting such children, the whole situation was explained to the family members. Information was already given about the condition of their children. We were trying our best, but could not succeed in saving the children.