60 infants died at hospital in Odisha: Govt. take action

CUTTACK, ODISHA:  Around more than 60 infants have died at a children ' s hospital at Cuttack in Odisha in two weeks. A criminal probe was under way into the conduct of three staff at the Shishu Bhawan in Cuttack, state health minister Atanu S Nayak said on Wednesday. Four workers have been suspended due to negligence. "According to pre investigation found that they were not present on duty that contributed to the deaths," Health Minister Nayak said, without elaborating on the causes of death. Doctors at the hospital blamed the deaths on overstretched facilities, not negligence. The opposition Party, particularly BJP, staged protests outside several government hospitals across Odisha. Chief Minister of odisha visited the hospital where more than 60 infants died due to negligence of staffs in Odissha hopitaal. The deaths shows the challenges faced in an less funded public health system beleaguered by an acute shortage of staff and clinics. Niranjan Mohanty, a senior official at the hospital, said it was overburdened, admitting up to 50 critically ill children and treating up to 500 outpatients daily.