31 people die in Maharashtra government hospital in 2 days
In a span of just two days, 31 people have died at Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Maharashtra's Nanded. Initially, 24 deaths were registered in the 24-hour period between Saturday and Sunday (September 30-October 1). Now, on social media, Nanded's District Information Office (DIO) has revealed that seven more people lost their lives between Sunday and Monday (October 1-2).
12 infants among deceased
Hospital authorities also reportedly said that among the deceased, 12 were infants. Meanwhile, four adults had cardiovascular ailments and one man was suffering from unidentified poisoning. One woman had pregnancy complications, while three other adult deaths were accident cases. The hospital claimed that all the patients who lost their lives were in the last stages.
Incident triggers criticism from opposition leaders
The incident has triggered criticism from Maharashtra's opposition leaders. Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan tweeted, "Deaths continue unabated in Nanded." Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray launched a scathing attack against CM Eknath Shinde's government. He claimed the state's was "on a ventilator" under the "three-engine" administration of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party.
State government to set up investigation committee
Maharashtra's Medical Education Minister, Hasan Mushrif, said a committee will be set up to probe the matter. Speaking to ANI, he asserted that he would visit the hospital and form a committee of doctors for investigation. Separately, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge compared the deaths to a similar tragedy in Thane, wherein 18 patients lost their lives in a few hours back in August.
Nanded hospital issues statement
Amid allegations of negligence, the Nanded hospital has released a statement asserting there were no medicine shortages. It also claimed all the patients who died at the hospital were brought there in their last stages. The hospital added they have so far allotted Rs. 12cr for procuring medicines, and another Rs. 4cr would also be allocated soon, claiming there wasn't any shortage of medicines.
Cluster hospital deaths in past
In a similar incident, 18 patients died at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Thane, in 24 hours in August. Ten were women, and the remaining were men. Separately, in June, 57 patients lost their lives within four days in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district hospital.
