Inadequate staff and poor infrastructure were seen by an expert from Union Health Ministry as major causes of recent spurt in infant deaths in Sishu Bhawan where the toll went upto 47 today.
The four-member central team, headed by a joint secretary, visited the paediatric hospital here today and expressed their wish to cooperate with the state to improve the situation.
The central team apparently came to the hospital after the Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan discussed the Sishu Bhawan situation with Union Health Minister J P Nadda.
Earlier in the morning, Pradhan accompanied by state BJP President K V Singhdeo and some state leaders visited the paediatric hospital and held discussions with the Hospital Superintendent Niranjan Mohanty.
Speaking to media, Pradhan expressed concern over the increase in deaths of the infants at the Hospital and assured that the Central government would do whatever necessary to arrest the infant mortality rate in the State.
Meanwhile, the deaths in the Sishu Bhawan continued unabated and at least four deaths were reported on the day taking the number of deaths to 47 during the past nine days, hospital sources said.
Echoing the observations of various past committees, the central team also mentioned that patients in extreme critical condition are referred here from the peripheral hospitals and as a result many of them die within 24 hours of admission.
