Supreme Court issues notice to Rajasthan govt, Centre over Kota infant deaths

The Centre and Rajasthan government have been issued with notices over the 110 infant deaths reported in Kota hospital in a period of 33 days in December. Moreover 6 more deaths were reported in January 2020.    

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Rajasthan government and the Centre on a plea for a probe into infant deaths at a hospital in Kota.

The apex court issued the notice to the Rajasthan government and the Centre after over 100 infants had lost their lives at Kota-based JK Lon Hospital in December last year.

A three-member state government committee of doctors was sent to investigate the matter on December 23 and 24, 2019. The report stated that they had found that the hospital is short of beds and it requires improvement. However, the committee gave a clean chit to the doctors for any lapses over the death of infants admitted there.

The hospital's superintendent, Suresh Chand Dulara had cited hypothermia and birth asphyxia as the reason behind more numbers of deaths of infants at the hospital.

The Rajasthan high court on January 7 had sought a report from the state government and gave major instructions to all districts including Kota to improve the conditions of the hospitals.

As many as 110 infants lost their lives in Kota’s JK Lone hospital. While deputy CM Sachin Pilot had criticised his own government over the insensitivity with respect to the infants’ death, CM Ashok Gehlot had claimed that the death toll was less compared to previous records.