Mamata relishing CM's power, Babies die in Hospitals for negligence

Four more babies die at Malda hospital

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 11.11.11

Malda: The directorate of health services had ordered a probe into the death of six children at Malda District Hospital on Wednesday. But before the probe could come to any definite conclusion, another four children died on Thursday, thus stoking anger among the relatives of the deceased. 
    Mojahara Ali, father of a dead baby, claimed it was the negligence of the doctors that killed his son. But the hospital authority refused to accept the blame. Hospital super Dr H Ari clarified, “Most of the babies were referred in a very critical condition. Besides, some were born underweight and premature. Doctors could hardly do anything.” 
    While Jharkhand’s Menoka Biwi lost her two-day-old baby boy last night, four-dayold sons of Anjuma Biwi and Adari Biwi died late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, respectively. Reshma Biwi of Kaliachak delivered a stillborn. 
    Malda Medical College principal Debashis Bhattacharya visited the children ward along with the hospital super on Thursday.

Child deaths major problem: Pranab

Kolkata/Malda, Nov 11 (PTI): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said death of children in hospitals is a matter of concern not only in West Bengal but across the country. ”It is a major problem across the country. We have to address it,” Mukherjee told reporters outside his residence in Kolkata. His comment came in wake of the recent death of over 30 babies recently in government hospitals in the state. Nine babies died at Malda District Headquarters Hospital in the last three days, while a still-born was delivered yesterday. Earlier, 36 infants had died at several district hospitals and the referral B C Roy Children's hospital in Kolkata in October. Meanwhile, Malda District Hospital superintendent H K Ari said a medical board has been set up to go into the reasons of the infant deaths and fix responsibility. He, however, pointed out the deceased babies were suffering from broncho-pneumonia and low birth weight and said while two of them died soon after birth, others were brought there from villages and nearby areas. Junior doctors' strike at National Medical College continues Junior doctors at state-run National Medical College and Hospital today continued their strike in protest against the alleged assault of some of their colleagues by relatives of a patient. The doctors, numbering around 50, went on strike last evening demanding that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the Health portfolio, speak to them. Police said that while around 50 junior doctors were holding a sit-in demonstration near the emergency department, senior medical officers were working normally and treating patients. The striking doctors refused to join work despite assurances of security by the Health Department and police authorities. A number of patients were, however, taken away to other hospitals as the strike has affected regular facilities like round-the-clock monitoring of patients generally done by junior doctors, officials said.

How long people of Bengal will tolerate this?