Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 16: The state government today ordered an enquiry into death of two infants in District Hospital Baram-ulla on Friday evening when, according to the relatives, the life support systems did not function due to non-availability of electricity for two hours. The hospital authorities, however, have denied the allegations saying the babies were extremely ill. "One of the babies was suffering from Asphyxia and the other had Septicemia", they said.
The deaths have evoked severe criticism from the general public. The aggrieved families, however, reject the official explanation as ridiculous. According to them, the babies died when the hospital authorities failed to provide electricity to run the ventilators.
The families said that their repeated pleas to make the authorities run the generator went in vain.
Mother of one of the deceased infant held the superintendent responsible for the deaths. "There was no light and no staff. We held the babies under the light of our mobile phones", she said.
The officials of the Health Department have ordered an enquiry and senior doctors from other Valley hospitals are expected to comprise the enquiry team. But the authorities maintain that power failure did not cause the deaths.
"There were three babies in the special ward on last Friday evening. One of them was more hypothermic that the two who died. If parents are to be believed then he too should not have survived", Director Health, Saleem-ur-Rehman told media persons.
According to him, one baby died in the hospital and other having severe infection as referred to Srinagar hospital and he died near Pattan while on way to Srinagar. That way there is a gap of around two hours between the two deaths. Therefore, lack of electricity cannot be the sole reason for the deaths", he said.
Pertinent to mention, the incident comes two days after a senior doctor was arrested for the murder of a newborn in a government hospital.
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