Nanded, Maharashtra – At least 31 lives, including those of 16 infants, were tragically lost within a single day at the Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded, Maharashtra.
The authorities at Shankarrao Chavan Government Hospital blamed the deaths on a shortage of essential medicines and said that most of the patients were brought in critical condition from remote areas.
According to the hospital’s dean, Dr Shyamrao Wakode, the 12 infants who died were between one and two days old and were suffering from various ailments such as low birth weight, respiratory distress syndrome, septicemia and congenital anomalies. He said that the hospital is only a tertiary-level care centre but patients come from different areas because it is the only health care centre in a 70-80 km radius.
He added that the number of patients admitted to the hospital sometimes exceeds the institute’s budget, and that is why there was a shortage of medicines.
The other 12 adults’ death at the hospital were due to various reasons such as snake bites, cardiac arrest, renal failure and Covid-19 complications. Wakode said that the hospital has a mortality rate of around 10 percent and that the deaths on Monday were not unusual. He claimed that the hospital follows all the protocols and guidelines issued by the state government and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
However, some relatives of the deceased alleged negligence and mismanagement by the hospital staff and demanded an inquiry into the matter. They said that the hospital did not have adequate oxygen supply, ventilators, beds and doctors to handle the influx of patients. They also accused the hospital of delaying the post-mortem reports and handing over the bodies without proper documentation.
The state health minister Rajesh Tope said that he has ordered a probe into the incident and asked the district collector and civil surgeon to submit a report within two days. He also assured that the state government will provide all the necessary support and funds to improve the infrastructure and facilities at the hospital.
Nevertheless, the incident raises serious questions about the state of health care in Maharashtra, which is already reeling under the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The state has reported over 64 lakh cases and over 1.36 lakh deaths so far, the highest in the country. The state government has been facing criticism for its handling of the crisis and its failure to ramp up testing, tracing and vaccination.
The Nanded hospital tragedy is not an isolated case. In August this year, 18 deaths were reported at a government-run hospital in Thane district due to alleged oxygen shortage. In May this year, 15 Covid-19 patients died in a fire at a hospital in Virar town in Palghar district.
In April as well, 24 Covid-19 patients died after an oxygen tanker leaked outside a hospital in Nashik district. These incidents have exposed the poor state of public health infrastructure and governance in Maharashtra and called for urgent reforms and accountability.
NCP leader Supriya Sule demanded the resignation of the health minister and said, “This is a very serious issue and the government should take immediate action. How can so many infants die in a hospital? There is something wrong with the management and administration of the hospital”.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also condemned the Central BJP government for spending thousands of crores of rupees on its publicity. In the eyes of BJP, the lives of the poor have no value”, he added.
