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Updated January 5th, 2020 at 17:27 IST

Kota: Head of Paediatric Department at JK Lon Hospital removed as 110 children die

After the death toll of infants rose to atleast 110 at the JK Lon government hospital in Kota on Sunday, the head of paediatric department has been removed

Reported by: Jay Pandya
Kota
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After the death toll of infants rose to 110 at the JK Lon government hospital in Kota on Sunday, the head of paediatric department has been removed, an official said. Amritlal Bairava would be replaced by Jagjit Singh, a senior medical professional from Kota Medical College. Four other paediatricians will also join the paediatric department. "The broken window panes have been replaced with polycarbonate sheet which is unbreakable. We are renovating a room which will be converted into 9-bed newborn intensive care unit (NICU)," Suresh Dulara, the hospital superintendent said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has also arranged funds to the tune of Rs 40 lakh via CSR, he said. JK Lon hospital has been in news for all the wrong reasons since December following a spike in the death of children. Besides, several life-saving and key equipment were found dysfunctional. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in what sounded like defending the hospital, had said the toll (death of children) registered a decline in 2019 compared to the previous years.

'Accountability should be fixed for the deaths of children'

However, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Saturday took an apparent dig at his own government on the ''number game politics'' over the death of children and said, "Accountability should be fixed for the deaths of innocent children". While visiting the JK Lon Hospital in Kota, Pilot stated that one must take responsibility for the tragedy. Contradicting CM Ashok Gehlot who has made several insensitive comments like - 'Infant deaths common', Pilot said that the government's approach should have been more compassionate. 

READ | BJP leader Poonia slams Pilot's statement on Kota tragedy, says Congress 'a divided house'

READ | CM Gehlot evades questions after Dy CM Pilot takes responsibility for Kota infant deaths

Rajkot medical apathy

In another disturbing incident, as many as 111 infants died at a civil hospital in Gujarat's Rajkot district in December last year, an official said on Sunday. "As per official records, 111 infants died at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital in Rajkot in December, 71 in November and 87 in October last year," hospital's medical superintendent Manish Mehta told reporters. He said the rise in infant deaths at the hospital in December was mainly due to an increase in the number of referral patients with serious ailments.

READ | Kota Infant deaths: Congress' Pramod Tiwari says Rajasthan Govt doing its 'best'

READ | BJP's Gaurav Bhatia slams Congress for insensitive approach towards Kota infant deaths

(With agency inputs)

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Published January 5th, 2020 at 17:27 IST

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