49 Children Die in Farrukhabad Government Hospital Due to 'Lack of Oxygen', District Magistrate Transferred

New Delhi: In a shameful rerun of last month’s Gorakhpur tragedy that claimed 63 lives, 49 children died in a government hospital in Farukkhabad, allegedly due to shortage of oxygen.

The deaths were reported over a period of one month at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Farrukhabad. While the District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar ordered a probe into the incident, according to latest reports, he has been transferred by the Uttar Pradesh government.

Apart from registering an FIR against the Chief Medical officer and Chief Medical Superintendent for negligence, the two have also been transferred by the government.

A press note from the government said that a high-level team from the government level would look into the factual and technical aspect of the incident to ascertain the reason behind the deaths of the children.

The 49 deaths took place over a month's time between July 21 and August 20 in the Sick Newborn Care Unit of the hospital. In the investigation, it was revealed that the reason behind the deaths was ‘Perinatal Asphyxia’ which means lack of oxygen.

It has also been said in the FIR that the doctors should have the knowledge that an absence of adequate oxygen supply can result in deaths and that there is a clear negligence on their part.

Dayanand Mishra, SP Farrukhabad said, “A case has been registered against the CMO, CMS and some other doctors. Further action will be taken as the investigation proceeds."

This comes just days after the Gorakhpur tragedy rattled Uttar Pradesh government with allegations of medical negligence. It was alleged that the hospital was running short of oxygen and neither the authorities nor the government did anything to prevent the deaths.

The Gorakhpur hospital authorities, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had claimed that the children at the BRD Medical College and Hospital had claimed that the deaths were due to Japanese Encephalitis and other ailments.

However, according to reports, the oxygen supplier at BRD Hospital had repeatedly raised the issue of pending dues for a period of six months. They had even warned the hospital authorities of snapping the supply if the dues are not cleared, which they did on August 7, soon after which the ailing children started dying one after the other.