‘Hero doctor’ blames officials for apathy

GORAKHPUR: Kafeel Khan, a doctor hailed as a hero during the Gorakhpur health crisis, has accused several senior government officials, including the district magistrate, of not responding to pleas for additional oxygen cylinders at the BRD Hospital where 30 children died in 48 hours earlier this month.

Khan is among the nine booked for the death of children, most of whom allegedly died due to lack of oxygen. The deaths took place after a private company snapped supply over a payment dispute.

In a Facebook post, which has been widely shared on social media since Thursday, Khan named the DM, additional director (health), chief medical officer (CMO), and chief medical superintendent (CMS) for not responding to his request of at least 50 cylinders to save lives during the crisis.

The tragedy evoked nationwide condemnation following which a chief secretary-led panel took over the probe.

Based on its report, Dr Khan and eight others were booked for different charges, including negligence and private practice.

“The DM came to know about it (the crisis) by noon (of August 9), while the CMO, CMS and AD, health, were also informed by me on phone. I kept on begging for 50 cylinders saying children were dying but none came to help except the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB),” Kafeel is heard saying in the two-minute video, shot reportedly on August 19, a day before the report was submitted to the government.

Kafeel also targeted director general medical education KK Gupta, who had questioned his role as a saviour of children during the oxygen crisis.