Gorakhpur Deaths: Central Panel Points to Vacant Posts, Lack of Basic Hygiene in BRD Hospital

The report said that vacancies have resulted in untrained doctors treating patients.

Updated: August 19, 2017 9:00 AM IST

By India.com News Desk

Gorakhpur Deaths: Central Panel Points to Vacant Posts, Lack of Basic Hygiene in BRD Hospital
Gorakhpur Medical College.

New Delhi, August 19: A panel of senior doctors appointed by the Central Government has pointed out grave irregularities at Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College’s Japanese Encephalitis department, where 71 children died in 10 days. The panel said that basic hygiene standards are not being maintained and children are put under the treatment of trainee doctors. There is a lack of medical staff tending children.

According to a report published by Indian Express, eight out of 12 senior resident doctor posts lie vacant. Only three out of 31 nurses are trained to handle newborns. Basic hygiene norms at hospitals like washing hands and using disinfectants are not followed by the staff.

The three-member technical time was sent to the BRD Medical College for the assessment of the mortality situation in the hospital. The team had Dr M K Aggarwal, DC-Immunisation, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Dr Harish Chellani, Professor and Head-Paediatrics, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital; and, Dr Sushma Nangia, Director Professor and Head-Neonatology, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Associated Hospitals on board. It submitted the report on Thursday to the Union health ministry. (Also read: HC seeks response from UP on Gorakhpur deaths)

The report said the most basic hygiene standards like–handwashing, use of disinfectants, cleaning of bassinets after discharge or death of neonate– are not maintained. There was an overuse of antibiotics and poor nutritional support in the form of enteral feeding was extended. “Deaths early after admission (within 12 hours) were just 11%, with 25% within 24 hours of admission and another 25-35% deaths occurring in the next 24 hours. This indicates that nearly 50% deaths are occurring within 48 hours of admission, implying both suboptimal stabilisation at peripheral units and poor care after admission in the BRD Medical College,” the report stated.

The report further said that vacancies have resulted in untrained doctors treating patients. The panel observed that the strength of doctors is unreasonable. The patients are being treated by doctors who are either students or novices. The parents of patients are forced to buy disposables and consumables on their own despite the government providing it for free for the patients of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). The panel found that due to these discrepancies, the death rate remains the same.

The panel was sent by the government after a national outcry due to the death of 63 children in 2 days, ostensibly due to lack of oxygen. The UP government dismissed the principal of the medical college.

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