Mamta - the most inefficient to handle this

WB: Mamata in denial mode as infants die

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Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday blamed the Left for ruining the state's healthcare following death of a newborn baby at a hospital in Murshidabad after doctors used acid instead of Dettol as a disinfectant.

Recounting her horror at the hospital, 28-year-old Shikha said, "I was unconscious. When I woke up, I heard my baby is dead and my legs were burning."

During delivery her legs were allegedly swabbed with acid, instead of Dettol. As a result, her baby died soon after birth and her legs are badly burnt. The Lalbag sub-divisional hospital in West Bengal has said it will probe this case of gross medical negligence.

"We have set up an enquiry committee, the fluid will be sent for forensic test," said Superitendent Dr Saswati Nag.

Shikha's tragedy is just one in a series of horror stories in Bengal. In the last six days, more than 40 infants have died in hospitals. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who handles the Health Ministry, blamed the previous Left government.

"The CPI-M has done nothing. They have made several hospitals with no proper facilities. I am trying to do as much as I can, but I need to overhaul the system," said Mamata Banerjee.

"We strongly condemn this incident. We demand a separate minister for health," CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta.

The political blame game aside, the bitter reality of Bengal's health care is revealed by the scenes of patients lying on floors, over crowded maternity wards and infants lying unprotected.

"We will send an enquiry team at the end of this month. Too many children are dying in Bengal. What has happened at Murshidabad is criminal. The perpetrators should be punished," said NCPCR Chairperson Shanta Sinha.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Health Sudip Bandopadhya (the criminal has promoted to be the minister) has given a clean chit to a Kolkata hospital where 17 deaths have been reported in the last one week. But with the news of such instances of gross medical negligence continues, the big question is how long will the Mamata Banerjee government be in denial?