10 babies among 32 dead at Sylhet hospital in 24hrs
At least 32 people, including 10 babies, died in 24 hours until this morning at Sylhet’s state-managed MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for “various reasons”.
- Not abnormal, says government
- Baby deaths: 4 of birth complex, 3 of septicemia, 2 of diarrhea and pneumonia, 1 of intestinal block
- Among 22 others were casualties of a clash, brain stroke, road accidents
- Probe committee formed, to report by three days
Our Sylhet correspondent quoted Abdus Salam, deputy director of the institute, to say 32 people died till 8:00am today. Among them were 10 babies ranging from newborns to three and half years of age.
“The number of deaths in the past 24 hours is higher than the average,” he said.
A three-member probe body, led by Prof Md Ismail Patowari, head of the medicine department, has been formed to investigate the deaths, said Brig Gen Abdus Sabur Mia, hospital’s director.
The committee has been asked to submit report within three working days, he said.
Families of the child victims allege that the deaths were because of negligence from on behalf of the doctors.
‘NOTHING ABNORMAL’
Later, the Health and Family Welfare ministry termed the deaths ‘not abnormal’ at a press briefing arranged at the Secretariat in Dhaka this afternoon.
“As far as we know, nothing abnormal happened. Some babies died of pneumonia because of this winter and underweight reasons,” State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Maleque told the media this afternoon.
“But yet still, along with the probe body, a powerful committee will look into the matter. If any abnormality is found, the government will take necessary steps,” he said.
“Everyday, about 12-14 people die in Osmani hospital. This is usual there and everywhere else in the country,” he said.
Four of the babies died of perinatal asphyxia, birth complexity that leads to lack of absorption of oxygen, said Professor Deen Md Noorul Huq, director of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) told reporters.
Three babies died of septicemia, infection spreading onto the blood resulting from malnutrition, two of diarrhea and pneumonia and another of intestine block, he said.
Among the rest of 22 people, 5 critically injured patients died in hospital following a village clash, four of brain stroke, three of road accident injuries and assault, and one each died of tuberculosis and cirrhosis, acute diabetes, unknown poison, brain infection and severe anemia and heart failure, he said.
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