Kolar turns Gorakhpur: Commission heads make a beeline to Kolar hospital except next door Health Minister

The news of deaths of 3 newborn babies in a day at the Kolar district hospital has attracted attention from all quarters. Heads of several commissions are visiting the hospital to inspect. V S Ugrappa, chairman of Legislative Committee on Safety of Women and Children, Meera Saxena, Chairperson, Human Rights Commission, Kripa Amar Alva, Chairperson, Protection of Child’s Rights Commission visited the hospital and made inquiries. They took to task the staff for lapses in facilities, reported Kannada Prabha.

Political groups such as BJP, CPM, Raitha Sangha and Dalit Organisations have been protesting before the hospital. However, the Health Minister, who is also the district in charge Minister, KR Ramesh has not yet visited the hospital. He attended a government program near the hospital on Wednesday but did not make a stop over at the hospital, attracting criticism.

Meera Saxena inspected the generator and ventilators at the hospital and slammed the staff as they had technical problems. She is submitting a report to the government she said. Kripa Alva said that she would write to the State Government in this regard. V S Ugrappa has stated that there is no fault on doctors in the death of the infants.

Ramesh Kumar, Health Minister, said there are no lapses on the part of the district hospital. There is no need for publicity without knowing the ground realities and statistics regarding infant mortality.  Sincere efforts are put into developing the district hospital. The district surgeons are doing a good job, he certified.

The Kolar infant mortality has also thrown light on similar incidents in other district hospitals.  In Koppala, 35 infants have died in the past 3 months. The main cause of death is lack of timely medical help. However, the doctors say malnutrition, cardiac related complaints and premature delivery as the main causes of death of infants. On June 13, July 12 and  August 10 infants have died in this hospital.  The number of infant mortality is high in taluk and village health centres. Several village primary health centres do not have doctors at all, it is said.

In Bidar, a shocking 150 infants have died in the past 7 months.  The district hospital attached to the Bidar Government Medical Sciences College has reported 863 infants treated and of them 434 infants have recovered. 85 infants are referred to different hospitals. 148 infants have died due to malnourishment, underweight and other complaints, according to doctors.

 In May out of 146 infants who were admitted to the hospital, 22 were referred to different hospitals and 30 infants died.

• Infant mortality at Kolar
• Commission heads report
• kolar
• gorakhpur