<p>At least 35 infants have reportedly died at the state-run B C Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Sciences here in the last four days. According to hospital sources, 16 infants died on September 3 and 4 and 10 more on September 5.<br /><br /></p>.<p>While families alleged mismanagement and medical negligence, a three-member probe committee set up by the state government gave a clean chit to hospital authorities and ruled out any negligence on their part. According to doctors, most infants were admitted in extremely critical conditions.<br /><br />Trideb Banerjee, chairman of the state health department’s special task force, which probes into infant deaths, rejected the allegations. “It is a referral hospital and patients are usually admitted here in critical condition. Doctors always try their best but sometimes patients cannot be saved. There is not a single case of negligence,” he told reporters.<br />Sources said despite being a referral hospital, people often come here from far-flung areas with critically ill children. They allege negligence when the children die. <br /><br />“Most of the children who died are from poor families and suffered from malnutrition. All of them were born premature, with low birth weight,” a senior doctor said.<br /><br />Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the health portfolio, deputed eight additional child specialists to assist the medical staff. <br /><br />“The health department has been struggling to take the best care of children. We have been striving to ensure that not a single child dies for want of proper treatment. However, in some cases, we have noted that nothing can be done,” the task force chairman said.<br /><br />The state government formed the task force in 2011. In October 2011, 18 children had died in 48 hours at B C Roy hospital.<br /><br /></p>
<p>At least 35 infants have reportedly died at the state-run B C Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Sciences here in the last four days. According to hospital sources, 16 infants died on September 3 and 4 and 10 more on September 5.<br /><br /></p>.<p>While families alleged mismanagement and medical negligence, a three-member probe committee set up by the state government gave a clean chit to hospital authorities and ruled out any negligence on their part. According to doctors, most infants were admitted in extremely critical conditions.<br /><br />Trideb Banerjee, chairman of the state health department’s special task force, which probes into infant deaths, rejected the allegations. “It is a referral hospital and patients are usually admitted here in critical condition. Doctors always try their best but sometimes patients cannot be saved. There is not a single case of negligence,” he told reporters.<br />Sources said despite being a referral hospital, people often come here from far-flung areas with critically ill children. They allege negligence when the children die. <br /><br />“Most of the children who died are from poor families and suffered from malnutrition. All of them were born premature, with low birth weight,” a senior doctor said.<br /><br />Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the health portfolio, deputed eight additional child specialists to assist the medical staff. <br /><br />“The health department has been struggling to take the best care of children. We have been striving to ensure that not a single child dies for want of proper treatment. However, in some cases, we have noted that nothing can be done,” the task force chairman said.<br /><br />The state government formed the task force in 2011. In October 2011, 18 children had died in 48 hours at B C Roy hospital.<br /><br /></p>
