Gehlot sparks row after saying child death figures improved since last year in Rajasthan
Jaipur/IBNS: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday sparked a controversy by pointing out that the child deaths in the state declined in comparison to the previous year even as two infants reportedly died in the course of last 48 hours in a state-run hospital taking the toll to 100 for the month, media reports said.
"Govt cites figures to say child casualties in JK Lon Hospital in Kota have reduced to 963 this year from 1260 in 2015 and 1193 in 2016 when the state was ruled by BJP. In 2018, 1005 children lost their lives here," tweeted Gehlot on Thursday.
All the babies who died were admitted to the intensive care unit of JK Lon Hospital in Kota, 250 km from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, reported NDTV.
A three-member team headed by Secretary of Medical Education Vaibhav Galeria and senior doctors visited the hospital on Dec 27. The team had said most of the children were brought in critical condition and extreme cold made it difficult for the babies to survive their illnesses.
The team had pointed out that the incubators were not working properly. According to NDTV, two babies were put in some incubators due to shortage.
"The children have not died because of a single factor. The extreme cold weather is also perhaps an added reason for the sudden spike in deaths as extreme weather affects neo-natals adversely, especially those who are low birthweight," read the report of the three-member committee appointed by the Chief Minister, NDTV reported.
Gehlot, however, accepted that some of the incubators in the intensive care unit were not working.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan assured Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot support from his side and said a high-level team has been dispatched by the Ministry of Health.
"I have just spoken to #Rajasthan CM Sh @ashokgehlot51ji & assured him of all possible support to prevent further deaths in #KotaTragedy matter. A multi-disciplinary expert team of incl top paediatricians is being sent by @MoHFW_INDIA for gap analysis & quick measures to be taken," tweeted the Health Minister.
Harshvardhan said the number of deaths is higher this time than the previous years.
Chief Minister Gehlot has said he welcomes a specialist delegation of Central government.
The Congress government is already under attack over infant deaths from political rivals like UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BSP chief Mayawati.
"We are saddened by this, our responsibility is to give clinical support, several children were brought with critical ailments. BJP can audit if they want, we saved all the children who were in condition to be saved," Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma was quoted saying in media
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