Case against Kerala Minister in baby death case

Thiruvananthapuram, May 3 (UNI) A local court today directed the police to file a case amounting to culpable homicide against seven persons, including Kerala Health Minister P K Sreemathy, for failing to take steps to prevent the deaths of new born babies due to infection at the State-run Sree Avittam Thirunal (SAT) hospital.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate S Gopala Krishnan asked the Medical College police to charge the case under sections 304 and 34 after hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one Mr V Vikraman.

The case was filed in the backdrop of reports that at least 38 new born babies have died of alleged hospital-acquired infection at the SAT hospital during the past four months.

Mr Vikraman told UNI here that in his complaint, he had pointed out that three more deaths had occurred this month even after the hospital authorities informed the seriousness of the matter to the Health Minister.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister said a sum of Rs 27 lakh was sanctioned for making the hospital infection-free. Additional staff would also be appointed soon.

UNI