24 more children die at Gorakhpur’s BRD hospital, toll this year at 1351

Ten more children died of various illnesses at the state-run Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College hospital here on Tuesday, taking the toll to 1,351 so far this year.

Ten more children died of various illnesses at the state-run BRD Medical College hospital here on Tuesday, taking the toll to 1,351 so far this year.

Children admitted in BRD medical college, a scene inside encephalitis ward around 50 children have died in last few days in Gorakhpur, India, on Saturday, August 12, 2017. (HT File photo)

One of the 10 deceased was victim of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), said Dr P K Singh, the newly-appointed principal of the medical college.

A spate of deaths of children at the government facility has triggered outrage. Former principal of BRD Medical College Rajiv Mishra and his wife Purnima Shukla have also been arrested in this connection.

Singh said 17 new patients were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and 32 others to the general paediatric ward today.

The principal had yesterday said that all-out efforts were being made to improve medical facilities at the hospital.

Twenty-four new warmers have been provided by the government taking its numbers at the hospital to 40, which are used for the benefit of the newborns.

Similarly, the hospital also got 18 new paediatricians who were being engaged for providing better medical care round the clock, the principal said.