At least 80 infants have died in the past six months at a government hospital in Seoni district, Madhya Pradesh. The BJP MLA Dinesh Rai Munmun has called for an investigation.
According to a report by The Indian Express, at least 80 infants have died at a government hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Seoni district over the past six months. The deaths are primarily attributed to premature births and low birth weight. Between April and June, 34 infants died, followed by 46 between July and September. On Saturday, Dinesh Rai Munmun, a legislator from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, inspected the hospital after receiving reports of infant deaths and called for an investigation. Hospital staff initially tried to stop him from entering the premises, but no doctor was present, and they claimed an inquiry and audit were underway. Rai alleged that 46 infants had died in the past three months due to breathing difficulties. The MLA also questioned the hospital's lack of a permanent doctor for the ventilator meant for children with breathing problems and the inadequate training of nurses. Civil surgeon Dr Vinod Kumar Navkar stated that many babies born prematurely and with low birth weight were treated at the hospital, with more than half having low birth weight. The World Health Organization defines low birth weight as less than 2.5 kg, and Navkar said some infants weighed as little as 1,100 grams, 900 grams, and even 500 grams. However, he claimed that the neonatal mortality rate at the hospital was lower than that of other districts in the Jabalpur division. Rai disputed this assessment, suggesting that critically ill newborns might be referred to other hospitals, which could impact the recorded deaths.
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