Infant deaths return in Malda: 9 die in 48 hrs

Infant deaths returned yet again to haunt Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), where more than 70 deaths have been reported in the last two months. In the latest incident, nine infants — four boys and five girls — have died at the facility in the last 48 hours.

Infant deaths returned yet again to haunt Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), where more than 70 deaths have been reported in the last two months. In the latest incident, nine infants — four boys and five girls — have died at the facility in the last 48 hours.

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Doctors, however, are yet to ascertain the cause of the deaths. MMCH had blamed low birth asphyxia and malnutrition as the main reasons behind the previous deaths.

On Monday, a three-member team from the department of health and family welfare visited the facility and collected blood samples and spinal cord fluid from some of the infants.

“We have collected samples from five deceased infants and sent them for further tests,” said Asit Biswas, spokesperson of the state health department.

Sources said a number of infants from Malda, Dinajpur and Murshidabad districts had been admitted to the hospital with an unknown fever. A senior doctor who did not want to be named said the babies were under general treatment. But following the deaths, health officials have instructed the hospital to start specialised treatment for the other babies in that hospital.

“A doctor told me my baby had died because she couldn’t bear the heat in the children’s ward. Now they are telling me my baby died from an unknown fever,” said Rajia Bibi, a resident of Malda-Harishchandrapur village.