Lucknow: After Gorakhpur, 49 children die in Farukkhabad in a period of one month in a government-run hospital allegedly due to lack of oxygen.
The deaths reportedly took place in Ram Manohar Lohia hospital between July 21 and August 20 in the Sick Newborn Care Unit of the hospital. While 30 children died in the sick newly-born care unit (SNCU) of the hospital alone, 19 others died at the time of delivery or soon after the delivery at the hospital.
The district magistrate Ravindra Kumar and city magistrate J.K. Jain conducted an inquiry when they received a complaint regarding the lack of oxygen.
However, the SNCU in-charge, Dr Kailash Kumar, claimed there were other reasons ranging from children born prematurely to being underweight for the death of children.
Three doctors, including the Chief Medical Officer, have been charged and dismissed. The district magistrate has also been removed.
The list in the FIR had names of chief medical officer (CMO) Uma Kant, medical superintendent Akhilesh Agarwal and Kailash Kumar. They have been booked under sections 176 (omission to give notice to public servant), 188 (disobedience), and 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC.
The officials did not inform the state government and conducted the inquiry last week after they received a number of complaints from the families of the children. They did not even forward the report to the government.
The matter came to light after a local TV channel reported the matter when the FIR was lodged. The district magistrate has been transferred on Monday, reportedly for the delay in action.