The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued a show-cause notice to the Chief Medical And Health Officer of Kota District, BS Tanwar, into the death of 77 infants in the JK Lon Hospital in Kota, Rajasthan in a month.
NCPCR: Commission requires you (BS Tanwar, CMO)to appear in person on Jan 3 to explain reasons for not sharing the action taken report with Commission. If you fail to comply with the order without lawful excuse, you will be subjected to the consequences of the non-attendance. 2/2 https://t.co/gl347s7InY
— ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2019
Taking suo moto cognisance of a report about the deaths published in The Hindu on 28.12.2019, which stated that Kota was rocked with deaths of 12 infants last week in the government hospital, the Commission directed Tanwar to appear in person on January 3 to explain reasons for not sharing the report on action taken with the Commission.
The notice further stated that If Tanwar failed to abide by the order without lawful excuse, he will be subjected to the consequences of the non-attendance.
Making scathing observations, the Commission also sought an ATR within 3 days of receiving the notice issued under Section 13 of the CPCR Act, 2005. The observations made by the NCPCR are as follows:
- It was evident that there was no glass in windows panes, gates were broken and as a result the admired children were suffering from extreme weather condition
- General upkeep and maintenance of the hospital is in the worst condition
- Pigs were found inside the campus of the hospital
- No record of AMC of the hospital equipment was produced to the Commission during the visit
- The information regarding the number of equipment which were not in working condition when 10 children died within 48 hours.
- It was observed that Hospital is having acute deficiency of staff including not stationed HoD of Paediatric Department
The notice was issued by the commission after a team of NCPCR headed by Chairman Priyank Kanoongo visited the hospital on Sunday.
The team had observed several irregularities in the hospital like broken windows, waterlogging, rodents and other animals in the hospital etc. The Chairperson also said that the officials of the hospital were irresponsible in answering questions, and didn’t cooperate with the commission in its probe. He said that officials were ready to resign instead of answering questions.
Despite the serious nature of the issue which concerns infant death, the hospital gave a clean chit to itself by forming a committee to investigate the deaths, which has now ruled out any negligence saying resources and equipment were functioning properly.
