Srinagar, May 15: At a time when the authorities at GB Pant hospital continue to be in a denial mode on alarming increase in infant fatalities there, the hospital shockingly recorded 9 deaths of newborns in the last 24 hours – reportedly highest ever in the institute. With the latest deaths, the infant fatalities at the hospital during the past 15 days have shot up to 41.
While official records said that 32 infants in the age group of 0-1 year (neonates) had died at the hospital in the last 14 days, death of 9 infants on May 14 and May 15 presents the gory picture of the shoddy healthcare and administrative affairs at the valley’s lone children’s hospital.
“Nine babies mostly new born in the age group of 1day and 4 months died in the NICU Unit of the hospital during the past 24 hours mostly due to the flawed management,” sources told Greater Kashmir.
A four month old baby boy, Mohsin son of Muhammad Riyaz (MRD no 2785) of Islamabad died this morning at around 7am after remaining admitted in the hospital for 17 days.
Another 40 day old baby, daughter of Hilal Ahmad of Shopian, died this morning at around 11:30 am in the NICU ward of the hospital after she was admitted there on May 3 with MRD no: 4179.
Similarly, the babies with MRD number: 3941, 4285, 4295, 4296, 4146, 8311 and 4151 died during past 24 hours in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
“Though the neonatal deaths is a common phenomenon, lack of facilities and the dual control of the GB Pant hospital involving state government and the Cantonment Board adds to the mess there,” sources said.
The civil society in the Valley is fuming over the mounting deaths in the hospital.
“Our children are on death beds as hospital has turned into a graveyard as possibility of infants coming out alive is remote,” the attendants said.
An attendant from Pulwama said the condition of his daughter deteriorated due to the callous approach of administration. “She was admitted in the ward no.5 and was crying with pain but doctors never come to see her,” he said.
When contacted, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital Dr Javaid Choudhary said there had been no deaths in the hospital due to negligence.
Asked whether the administration had ordered any inquiry into the increasing infant deaths in the hospital, Dr Choudhary said: “We have not ordered any inquiry.”
Pertinently, the Children hospital was established in year 1976 at Hazuribagh adjacent to LD hospital with 185 bed capacity. In 2005 it was shifted to its present location at Sonwar. Ironically, the bed capacity over a period of 36 years instead of increasing to the requirement got declined to 135.
As one of the main referral hospitals for Children including infants the staff strength was never increased to cater the referral flow of patients.
An official wishing anonymity said that while the Pediatric Department of GMC got MCI recognition subjected to sub-specialty and various other improvements and developments in the department, but very less has been attained till date.
“Residential staff hostels are not available that is the basic and important need of the hospital. The lack of hostel facility often results in delayed treatment of patients during odd hours,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 15 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 15 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 IST