Seventy-seven children have died in Kota’s J K Lon Hospital in the first 24 days of December with 10 deaths reported in the last 48 hours.

The hospital, which had formed a committee on Tuesday to investigate the deaths, has ruled out negligence, citing the malfunctioning of resources and equipment as the cause. Hospital authorities pointed out that the 10 children who died over the last couple of days were extremely critical and on life-support. The hospital also claimed that five newborns who died on December 23rd and 24th, were just a day old and perished within a few hours after being admitted. They also disclosed that they were suffering from Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy – a condition in which the infant’s brain does not receive enough oxygen, as well as septicemia.

The report also mentioned the death of a five-month-old on December 23rd due to severe pneumonia, and that of a seven-year-old from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). The third victim of the day—a one-and-ahalf-month-old—died of complex cyanotic congenital heart disease. Besides, a two-month-old also succumbed to severe pneumonia with aspiration and another one-and-a-half-year-old died of seizure disorder with aspiration on December 24th.

The hospital superintendent Dr H L Meena said “After investigating, we have found that all the 10 deaths were normal and did not die because of negligence.” The hospital’s head of the department (Pediatrics) Amrit Lal Bairwa reported that the children were brought in critical condition.

“According to national NICU records, 20 per cent deaths of infants are acceptable, whereas the death percent in Kota is 10-15, which is not alarming as most infants were rushed into the hospital in critical condition. Critical patients come from Bundi, Baran, Jhalawar and also from Madhya Pradesh. One to three infants and newborns die here daily.”

Source: ET Healthworld