Srinagar – Infant deaths at the GB Pant Hospital here have crossed the 800 per annum mark thrice since 2008, government figures cited in the assembly say.
Replying to questions by members, the minister for medical education RS Chib said that incidence of infant mortality at the hospital had been 830 in 2008, 594 in 2009, 882 in 2010, 886 in 2011, and this year till August, the figure stood at 636.
Asked whether he had visited the hospital and if so, what action had been taken, the minister said that he toured the paediatric facility a number of times this year in view of the serious situation, and the chief minister as well as the union health minister too had undertaken inspections.
The report of the inquiry into the mortality rate has not been made public because the matter is sub judice, the minister said. A cabinet sub-committee too has been formed to look into the issue, he said.
Heated exchanges took place when legislator Basheer Ahmad Veri said that government figures were incorrect as they had been tampered with and hospital records compromised.
Thousands of deaths have actually taken place in the hospital according to unconfirmed reports, the MLA said.
The minister shot back why the legislator had raised the question in the assembly if he believed in newspaper reports.
This prompted Rafeeq Ahmad Shah to rise to his feet and demand the ministers resignation.
You should own moral responsibility for the mortality rate at the hospital, and tender your resignation, Shah told the minister, staging a walkout from the House.
(Observer News Service)
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