Skip to main content
Sabrang
Sabrang
Freedom Politics

It's Oxygen Interruption that Caused Children to Die, says FIR even as CM is in Denial: Gorakhpur

Tarique Anwar 01 Sep 2017

The report in a way concludes that the deaths did not occur only due to interruption of the oxygen supply, but also due to administrative lapses.


Gorakhpur
Newsclick Image by Nitesh Kumar
 
The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh on August 12 said that oxygen supply to Gorakhpur’s Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College and Hospital was disrupted on the intervening night of August 10-11. But maintained that it did not cause death of children. It seems as if the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.

The FIR – which is in possession of NewsClick – lodged against nine persons (mostly doctors and staff) at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on August 23 has charged most of them with “dereliction of duty”, “lapses in the hospital” and “corruption” that led to the “interruption in supply of oxygen, causing tragic deaths of 30 children” on the fateful night.

But an action report – a copy of which is available with NewsClick – by the Chief Minister’s Office has not revealed the actual reasons of the death. The report in a way concludes that the deaths did not occur mainly due to interruption of the oxygen supply, but administrative lapses.

Interestingly, the CMO report has extensively quoted a chief secretary-headed enquiry committee report but preferred to keep mum on exact reasons cited by it for such a large number of loss of precious lives.

The CMO has just highlighted the actions recommended by the probe panel, that comprised of Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar, Secretary (Health) Alok Kumar, Secretary Finance Department Mukesh Mittal and Medical Superintendent (SGPGI) Dr Hem Chand. It has not gone into the details of the findings of the committee on the exact reasons for the deaths.

The then principal of BRD Medical College RK Mishra, his wife Poornima Shukla, Oxygen in charge and HoD (anesthesia) and Dr Satish have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code – 409, 308, 120 (b) and 420, for their “irresponsible behaviour” in the disruption of oxygen supply to the hospital. Relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act were also invoked.

“Dr Mishra and Dr Satish left headquarters without any information, thereby failed to address the emergency situation,” said the FIR.

A homoeopathic medical officer, Poonam Shukla has been accused of interference in the hospital administration and of seeking a commission in the purchase of surgical equipment.

Dr Kafeel Khan, the nodal officer of 100-bed acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) ward, has been charged with the “criminal prosecution” for “defying procurement norms” and “wrongfully arranging the oxygen cylinders from his wife’s nursing home and bringing wrong facts before the media”.

He has also been charged for “hiding facts in his affidavit on the procurement of medicines and chemicals filed before the chief medical officer, Gorakhpur, and the CAG that conducted special audit”.

A Grim Reminder

Out of 1,256 deaths of children that the government-run BRD Medical College has witnessed this year, August alone has witnessed the deaths of 296 children, especially in the encephalitis, the infant and the children’s wards, said PK Singh, principal of the college. This was the maximum number of deaths recorded in a month so far.

“Of the many children coming to us in an extremely critical condition, some survive for barely an hour,” said Singh in a PTI report.

The hospital saw 152 deaths of infants in January, 122 in February, 159 in March, 123 in April, 139 in May, 137 in June, 128 in July and 296 till August 29.

Courtesy: Newsclick.in
 

It's Oxygen Interruption that Caused Children to Die, says FIR even as CM is in Denial: Gorakhpur

The report in a way concludes that the deaths did not occur only due to interruption of the oxygen supply, but also due to administrative lapses.


Gorakhpur
Newsclick Image by Nitesh Kumar
 
The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh on August 12 said that oxygen supply to Gorakhpur’s Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College and Hospital was disrupted on the intervening night of August 10-11. But maintained that it did not cause death of children. It seems as if the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.

The FIR – which is in possession of NewsClick – lodged against nine persons (mostly doctors and staff) at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on August 23 has charged most of them with “dereliction of duty”, “lapses in the hospital” and “corruption” that led to the “interruption in supply of oxygen, causing tragic deaths of 30 children” on the fateful night.

But an action report – a copy of which is available with NewsClick – by the Chief Minister’s Office has not revealed the actual reasons of the death. The report in a way concludes that the deaths did not occur mainly due to interruption of the oxygen supply, but administrative lapses.

Interestingly, the CMO report has extensively quoted a chief secretary-headed enquiry committee report but preferred to keep mum on exact reasons cited by it for such a large number of loss of precious lives.

The CMO has just highlighted the actions recommended by the probe panel, that comprised of Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar, Secretary (Health) Alok Kumar, Secretary Finance Department Mukesh Mittal and Medical Superintendent (SGPGI) Dr Hem Chand. It has not gone into the details of the findings of the committee on the exact reasons for the deaths.

The then principal of BRD Medical College RK Mishra, his wife Poornima Shukla, Oxygen in charge and HoD (anesthesia) and Dr Satish have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code – 409, 308, 120 (b) and 420, for their “irresponsible behaviour” in the disruption of oxygen supply to the hospital. Relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Medical Council Act were also invoked.

“Dr Mishra and Dr Satish left headquarters without any information, thereby failed to address the emergency situation,” said the FIR.

A homoeopathic medical officer, Poonam Shukla has been accused of interference in the hospital administration and of seeking a commission in the purchase of surgical equipment.

Dr Kafeel Khan, the nodal officer of 100-bed acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) ward, has been charged with the “criminal prosecution” for “defying procurement norms” and “wrongfully arranging the oxygen cylinders from his wife’s nursing home and bringing wrong facts before the media”.

He has also been charged for “hiding facts in his affidavit on the procurement of medicines and chemicals filed before the chief medical officer, Gorakhpur, and the CAG that conducted special audit”.

A Grim Reminder

Out of 1,256 deaths of children that the government-run BRD Medical College has witnessed this year, August alone has witnessed the deaths of 296 children, especially in the encephalitis, the infant and the children’s wards, said PK Singh, principal of the college. This was the maximum number of deaths recorded in a month so far.

“Of the many children coming to us in an extremely critical condition, some survive for barely an hour,” said Singh in a PTI report.

The hospital saw 152 deaths of infants in January, 122 in February, 159 in March, 123 in April, 139 in May, 137 in June, 128 in July and 296 till August 29.

Courtesy: Newsclick.in
 

Related Articles

Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Theme

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Campaigns

Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Videos

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

IN FACT

Analysis

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Archives