Srinagar, Aug 6: Stating that Kashmir’s sole children healthcare institution, GB Pant Hospital, has turned into a ‘slaughter house,’ the Jammu and Kashmir State Commission for Women on Monday directed the Health and Medical Education department to provide information regarding total number of male and female deaths in the institution.
The Commission sought the details from the department in the wake of complaints of female feticide in the hospital. Incidentally, the department had not responded to earlier directive of the Commission on June 6, 2012.
The Commission also took strong note of failure of the department to depute super-specialists in the hospital and put in place measures to prevent further deaths. About 480 infants have died in the hospital this year.
Being an autonomous and statutory body, the State Commission for Women is entrusted to investigate and examine all the matters relating to the safeguards provided to women under the Constitution and other laws.
The Chairperson of the Commission, Shamima Firdous, said large number of deaths of infants in the hospital caused lot of resentment and disillusionment amongst the masses in general and the parents of the deceased infants in particular.
“Despite the Government claim of having boosted its healthcare system, the only children hospital has turned into a slaughter house due to irresponsible functioning and negligence on the part of the staff, both doctors and paramedics, posted there,” the Chairperson told Greater Kashmir.
“In spite of the creation of super specialist doctors in the Pediatric faculty, the Government did not take any action to fill the senior positions. After getting the relevant details regarding the deaths, we will ascertain whether there has been any female feticide in the hospital or not,” she said.
In a letter SCW/DO/CP dated August 6, 2012, to Secretary Health and Medical Education, M K Dwedi, the Chairperson states that being the custodian of the rights enjoyed by women under the Constitution, a number of people turned up to the Commission and sought its intervention in seeking information about exact number of deaths vis-a-vis male and female and measures put in place to prevent further deaths.
“In a letter dated June 8, 2012, you were impressed to look into the matter and share information regarding the number of deaths. Despite lapse of more than one and a half month, nothing has been heard in the matter. I would once again like to impress upon you to look into the matter and share information with this Commission,” the Chairpersons states in the letter.
The Government has admitted that 480 infants died in the hospital from January this year up to May 3 taking the total death toll during the past 17 months to an alarming 1400. The one-man Commission constituted to probe the functioning of the GB Pant Hospital has submitted its final report to Government on July 28, indicting the former Medical Superintendent for the mess and subsequent infant deaths.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 6 Aug 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 6 Aug 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 7 Aug 2012 00:00:00 IST