Inquiry ordered into deaths
Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, May 17: Following alarm raised over the high infant mortality at the G B Pant hospital, the Government today ordered attachment of Dr. Javed Chowdhary, Medical Superintendent of the hospital.
Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed Rather, Medical Superintendent, LD Hospital has been asked to hold additional charge of Medical Superintendent G. B. Pant Hospital.
The action was taken after the submission of an interim report submitted by Director SKIMS, Dr. Showkat Ali Zargar to the Government. The Government had appointed Dr. Zargar to conduct inquiry into deaths which have occurred recently in G. B. Pant hospital here at Sonawar.
Addressing a hurriedly arranged press conference here, Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi said that Dr. Chowdhary has been attached. He said the charge of the hospital has been given to Dr. Mushtaq in addition to his own duties. He said Government would take every step to save the lives of the children admitted at the hospital.
Dwivedi said that as an interim measure to deal with the crisis about 40 nurses and para-medical staff are being inducted for better management of the hospital. He said more equipment including ventilators, ambulances and life saving drugs are being procured in a time bound manner for the better management.
“Two consultants have been tasked to oversee the management and treatment in Neonatology section of the hospital. An advisory committee has also been constituted for better management of the hospital. This committee would comprise of the experts of relevant field and members from civil society will be co-opted to suggest measures for improvement of this hospital on a regular basis,” said Dwivedi.
He said a KAS officer of the rank of Additional Secretary in the Health and Medical Education Department would be tasked to monitor the improvement in the hospital on a daily basis. He said the officer will submit report to the Health and Medical Education Department and also Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah.
Dwivedi said that Director SKIMS has been asked to submit a detailed report in shortest possible time. He said action would be taken against the people found guilty of negligence in their duties.
It would be in place to mention here that Health and Medical Education Minister, Rajinder Singh Chib had yesterday acknowledged that 352 children mostly infants died at the G B Pant hospital from January 1, 2012 to May 15, 2012. More than 30 children have died in the hospital during this week so far.
Pertinently, Dr. Chowdhary had deputed three doctors, Dr. Kaiser Ahmad, Dr. Muzaffar Jan and Dr. Ghulam Rasool to the Lalded hospital.. This step drew sharp criticism from many medicos and they said that this step would badly affect the functioning of the G B Pant hospital.
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