Blatant medical apathy in UP: Will State Government be held accountable?

Blatant medical apathy in UP. Will the State Government be held accountable?

After Gorakhpur tragedy in Uttar Pradesh, the state government appears to have taken no lesson, as 49 kids have died on Monday, at Farrukhabad's Ram Manohar Lohia government hospital due to a condition called "perinatal asphyxia" - a condition in which the child cannot breathe properly.

Over 63 children had lost their lives less than a month back in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district - constituency of Chief Minister Yogi Adiyanath, allegedly for lack of oxygen as the hospital failed to pay the dues of the oxygen supplier.

Though the authorities and State Health Minister SN Singh denied that there had been oxygen shortage, reports clearly indicated that hospital had accumulated dues of over 65 lakhs, and had been receiving letters from the supplying agency to clear the dues else oxygen supply would be disrupted.

However, after the death of 23 children in 24 hours, the hospital partially paid a partial amount of Rs 21 lakhs to the supplier.

The death of over 60 children had triggered massive outrage. CM Adityanath pulled up the hospital authorities, the Principal of the medical college for not bringing up the issues during meetings.

However, State Health Minister completely denied lack of oxygen as the reason behind the several deaths.

The Opposition demanded compensation of 20 Lakh for the families of the each and every deceased kid and resignation of State Health Minister SN Singh.

However, the UP Government has clearly learned nothing and the death of 49 kids in RML hospital is an example of the medical apathy in the state.

According to reports, initial probe suggested lack of oxygen to be the reason behind the deaths, after the probe, FIR has also been lodged against the chief medical officer and the chief medical superintendent of the hospital.

But as expected, the hospital authorities said that the deaths were not because of lack of Oxygen but other reasons such as 'premature birth', 'Child's weight' and even 'ignorance of mothers,'

These back to back incidents of blatant medical apathy and no instant action indicate the sorry state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh. But the question is, will the state government be held accountable? Will Yogi Adityanath be questioned in spite of the political party he belongs from?

OneIndia News