Shocking RTI Data: 4,000+ Child Deaths at Delhi’s Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya Since 2019

According to data obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request, more than 4,000 children under the age of five have died due to various illnesses at Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, a Delhi government-run pediatric hospital. The data covers the period from 2019 until June this year.

Yearly Breakdown of Fatalities

The highest number of deaths occurred in 2019, with 875 fatalities recorded. The numbers decreased over the following years, with 866 deaths in 2020, 626 in 2021, 866 in 2022, and 548 in 2023. Up to June 2024, 314 deaths were reported for the current year.

Leading Causes of Death

The hospital identified the top causes of these deaths as sepsis, pneumonia, septic shock, and septicemia. Despite being a state-of-the-art super-specialty pediatric hospital, these figures raise serious concerns about the efficacy of the healthcare provided.

Lack of Response from Authorities

Calls and messages to the hospital authorities seeking further information on these deaths went unanswered. Amit Gupta, the RTI activist who requested the data, expressed his shock at the findings, stating, "I was reading about some cases of children's deaths, so I wanted to check the situation in the national capital. So, I filed the RTI. I wrote to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and the request was transferred. I eventually received the data only from Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya and am still waiting for responses from other hospitals. The data is shocking, especially considering that Delhi has one of the best healthcare infrastructures. We need to reduce these deaths."

Calls for Action

The data highlights an urgent need for improved healthcare measures and better management to address the high mortality rates among young children at this prominent pediatric facility.