Investigation Launched as 9 Infants Tragically Pass Away in Bengal Hospital Within 24 Hours

Kolkata: Nine newborn babies and a two-year-old have tragically lost their lives at a hospital in West Bengal within a span of 24 hours. The infants were being treated at the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, and an official has confirmed that a committee has been formed to investigate the cause of their deaths.

Preliminary information suggests that most of these children were malnourished, with one of them also suffering from a severe congenital heart disease, according to an official statement provided to NDTV. Amit Kumar Dah, the Medical Superintendent cum Vice Principal of the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, explained that the hospital was unable to save some of the children due to their malnourished condition, congenital diseases, and low birth weights ranging from 500 gm to 600 gm.

Dah further emphasized the time-sensitive nature of treatment in such cases, stating that the hospital did not have the necessary time to save these infants. He mentioned that the Jangipur Sub-Divisional Hospital, which usually handles such cases, is currently undergoing renovation, resulting in the patients being referred to the Murshidabad Medical College & Hospital. Unfortunately, the patients had to endure a delay of more than five hours during their transfer.

Dah stressed the difficulty of saving a child weighing only 500 gm, highlighting that children weighing 800 gm or 1 kg still have a chance of survival. However, due to humanitarian reasons, the hospital is obligated to admit all patients. Dah also mentioned that the hospital has successfully saved around 900 other children.

The tragic loss of these newborns has led to a committee being formed to investigate the circumstances surrounding their deaths. It is hoped that this investigation will shed light on any potential shortcomings in the healthcare system and contribute to preventing such incidents in the future.