In another incidence of alleged medical negligence, eight infants died within 24 hours at the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in Barpeta in Assam. According to hospital records, five children died on Wednesday night and three others died on Thursday.
Authorities claim hospital negligence as the cause of the tragedy. According to them, deaths happened due to birth asphyxia, a condition resulting from deprivation of oxygen to a newborn during the birth process and lasting long enough to cause physical harm, usually to the brain.
These children were in critical condition, underweight and were in Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit or ICU.
Assam health minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has ordered an investigation into the incident.
“We have sent the director medical education and consultant from UNICEF to audit the deaths,” Sarma said, adding that some mothers were also under age.
Assam is one of those states in the country that have the highest infant mortality rate.
