MALDA (WB): In the latest instance of crib deaths in West Bengal, nine babies have died at Malda District Sadar Hospital in the last two days, Health department sources said on Thursday. The hospital superintendent, H K Ari, said the deaths occurred in the Neo-natal unit from 12 noon on Tuesday.
A woman gave birth to a stillborn baby at the hospital today, Ari said. The babies were in the age group of 0 to nine months and were suffering from broncho-pneumonia and low birth weight, he said. While two newborns died soon after birth at the hospital, others were brought there from villages and nearby areas, he said.
The areas include Mahananda Pally on the outskirts of Englishbazar town and villages such as Manikchak and Kaliachak and the tribal dominated Bamungola block, he said.
36 babies had died at several district hospitals and the referral B C Roy Children’s hospital in Kolkata in October.
Ari ruled out any lapse on the part of the hospital’s doctors and said the infants were suffering from broncho-pneumonia and were underweight. Preventive steps were being taken to pre-empt such deaths in future.
Meanwhile, state’s Director of Health Services S P Basak said an investigation had been ordered into the deaths and a report had been sought from the hospital pinpointing responsibility and preventive steps being taken in this regard. (PTI)