Ahmedabad: At least 18 newborn babies died at Ahmedabad’s prestigious Civil Hospital over the last three days. Nine of these deaths took place within a short span of 24 hours on Saturday, said media reports. Five of the newborns who died on Saturday were referred to Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital from other smaller facilities while four of the babies were born at the prestigious government-run hospital itself, added the reports.
The five babies referred to Civil Hospital suffered from life-threatening conditions such as extremely low birth weight (around 1.1 kg, which is less than the normal birth weight of 2.5 kg), hyaline membrane disease, early onset septicaemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The four born at the Civil Hospital fell prey to lethal complications such as severe birth asphyxia and meconium aspiration.
The Congress, looking to target the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the state’s Assembly election, hit out at the Vijay Rupani-led government following the initial reports of nine babies dying in Ahmedabad.
“Death of children reported in another BJP ruled State #Gujarat. My heart goes out to their parents n family members. May God gv (give) them strength,” Congress general secretary in-charge of Gujarat Ashok Gehlot tweeted.
Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital, which is Gujarat’s largest government-run medical facility, has seen an increase in the number of referrals in the last few days as fewer doctors are available at peripheral and private medical centres due to post-Diwali holidays in Gujarat.
The Civil Hospital sees, on an average, 5-6 babies dying every day, which is why the deaths of 18 children in the last three days have raised eyebrows.
At the time of the deaths, all doctors and nurses who were supposed to be on duty at the Civil Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit were present in the medical facility. The unit has around 100 beds is considered to be the ultimate referral centre in Gujarat.
Following the tragedy a three-member committee was instituted to probe the deaths. The committee, which comprises of a pediatrician, a gynecologist, and a government official, has been asked to submit a report on the babies’ deaths at the earliest.
