UPinfant deaths: Put culprits behind bars, says Dr Kafeel
New Delhi, July 21: Kafeel Khan, who recently walked out of jail after being arrested in connection with the death of infants at a state- run hospital in Gorakhpur last year, on Saturday alleged that he is being victimised again.
He also demanded that all those who failed in their responsibilities to provide oxygen to the kids be put behind bars.
Khan, who worked as nodal officer at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College, at Gorakhpur, was granted bail by the Allahabad high court on April 25.
More than 60 children, mostly infants, had died at the hospital within a week in August, 2017. There were allegations that the deaths occurred due to disruption in oxygen supply.
Interacting with people at an event organised by the “Dwarka Collective”, an initiative by local residents, Mr Khan said he was the juniormost doctor and had no say in the hospital administration but despite this, he was targeted. He had written a letter from jail which was made public by his wife at a press conference in Delhi.
In the letter, the former nodal officer at BRD hospital, mentioned that payment to oxygen supplier at the hospital was not made because the fund for the same was not released.
“I had continuously tried to save the lives of nearly 400 kids admitted to the hospital, but we could not save the lives of 63 kids due to no oxygen,” he said.
“Those children lost their lives because of the callous attitude of people sitting in the capital ( Lucknow),” he added.
The vendors had written almost 40 letters to the HoD and the principal secretary, among others, over six months asking for dues to be cleared, Khan said, adding that they had even threatened to stop the supply of oxygen cylinders.
There were allegations that the deaths occurred due to disruption in oxygen supply. The BJP- led Uttar Pradesh government, however, had denied that shortage of oxygen led to the deaths.
Khan alleged that there were 10 charges against him, but government could not produce any evidence to prove those charges.