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According to the records of the paediatrics department, on August 27, out of 17 deaths, six had died in NICU and 11 in PICU. None were due to encephalitis. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)
IN THE last 48 hours, 42 children had died at Gorakhpur-based BRD Medical College and Hospital’s neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) and paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Among them, while seven were allegedly suffering from Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), the rest reportedly succumbed to other diseases.
On August 11, 60 children had died over a span of five days at the hospital, allegedly due to the lack of liquid oxygen supply, following which nine persons were booked. The government, however, had maintained that the children had died of encephalitis and other medical reasons. Prior to today’s report, the hospital had maintained that 200 children had died there this month.
“Till midnight on August 27, there were 342 patients in the paediatrics department, out of which, 17 died. Till midnight on August 28, there were 344 patients on bed and 25 of them died,” said officiating principal of the hospital, P K Singh.
According to the records of the paediatrics department, on August 27, out of 17 deaths, six had died in NICU and 11 in PICU. None were due to encephalitis. On August 28, out of the 25 deaths reported, 15 took place in PICU and 10 in NICU.
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Singh said that out of these 25 deaths, only seven were due to AES. “Rest of the deaths took place due to various ailments. Records of August 29 will be available on August 30,” he added.
Patients from neighbouring districts of UP, Bihar as well as Nepal come to BRD medical college for treatment. In most cases, it takes them more than two hours to reach the hospital.
While the government has turned primary and community health centres into encephalitis treatment centres, due to lack of paediatricians at most of these centres, parents rush their children to this hospital.
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