State to form panel to stop infant deaths in hospitals

In order to curb the deaths of foetuses, infants and malnourished children, the state health ministry issued an advisory on September 8, to form a committee of neonatologists who will solve the queries regarding the neonatal fatalities in the hospitals and health care centres across the state.

The advisory is been issued after 55 children died in Nashik Civil hospital in August which raised questions on the medical infrastructure to treat infants. According to government officials, the average mortality rate in the state stands at around 7 per cent, but the rate of neonatal deaths in the Nashik hospital is higher.

Dr Deepak Sawant, state health minister, said that the committee would mainly focus on treatment of the infants and solve the problems of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the state and civic-run hospitals. “We need new and improved technology to treat infants and we are working

on the same. In certain cases, if the infant is found to be underweight, the infant is referred to privately-run hospitals, which can be dangerous for the infant’s life. In order to avoid such incidents, we will take action,”

he added.

Under central government norms, for 3,000 deliveries, at least 16 special newborn care units (SNCUs) are required. The Nashik hospital that records 6,000 deliveries a year has only one. “There has been an increase in the number of admission of children who are sent to the civil hospital in a critical condition from private hospitals in the city and rural areas. Most of the patients admitted are critical.

The government had a Rs 21-crore expansion plan for the hospital that will provide improved neonatal services. “We are planning to expand the neonatal services in rural and tribal areas of the state so that they do not travel far to get a treatment,” said a senior official of the health department.

“Underweight infants are prone to falling ill because of weak digestive systems and breathing disorders if they have poor-functioning lungs, which leads to fatalities. Moreover, 30-40 per cent of the neonatal deaths are due to low birth weight,” said a health department official.