"Health of the state is on a ventilator": MNS Chief Raj Thackeray slams Maharashtra government over Nanded deaths

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 3 (ANI): As the death toll in Nanded Civil hospital rose to 31, Raj Thackeray the chief of MNS party took a jibe at the "three engine" Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra stating that the "health of the state is on ventilator."
Seven more patients, including four children died at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan government medical college and hospital, Nanded where 24 patients, including 12 newborns died within a span of 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday, authorities said.  
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Thackeray posted on X, "n the last 24 hours, 24 deaths occurred in the government hospital in Nanded. This incident is very unfortunate. A similar incident also took place in Madantari Thane. There is a shortage of medicine in government hospitals in the state. It is known that in Mumbai, due to a shortage of TB medicine, advice is being given to 'provide medicine and use it'. And these incidents are not limited to Nanded, Thane and Mumbai but everywhere." 
Taking a pot-shot at the "three engines", referring to BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena-Eknath government in the state, he said, "What is the use of three engines if the health of the state is on a ventilator? As all the three parties of the government have insured themselves adequately, they are not worried at all, but what about Maharashtra?" 
Thackeray further said that Maharashtra is sick except for three parties in the government.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that the state government should determine the responsibility.
Ashok Chavan posted on X, "The death toll continues in Nanded. 7 more patients unfortunately died in Government Medical College Hospital since yesterday. 4 children are also included in the dead. The state government should determine the responsibility."
Earlier, Shyamrao Wakode, the Dean of Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital Nanded said that 24 patients, including 12 newborns died between September 30 and October 1, however, he refuted allegations of negligence against the hospital on Tuesday, claiming that deceased patients were suffering from different ailments such as diabetes, liver failure, and kidney failure.
"Around 12 children died in the last 24 hours...12 adults also died due to various ailments (snake bites, arsenic and phosphorus poisoning etc). Due to transfers of various staff, there was some difficulty for us...We were supposed to buy medicines from the Haffkine Institute but that also didn't happen....Also, patients come from far off to this hospital and there were many patients whose sanctioned budget also got disturbed...," he said.
The incident was reported at Shankarao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital due to the alleged scarcity of medicines.
Notably, Minister of Medical Education of Maharashtra, Hasan Mushrif refuted the allegations and said, "There was no shortage of medicine in the hospital I have been informed by the dean so, we have formed a committee to look into the incident I will also be visiting Nanded." 
Prakash Ambedkar said that Eknath Shinde and the BJP-led Maharashtra administration murdered these precious 24 human lives.
Prakash Ambedkar posted on X, "Eknath Shinde and the BJP-led Maharashtra administration MURDERED these precious 24 human lives in #Nanded. My wife and I were devastated to hear that the 24 lives included 12 infants. We cannot even imagine what the parents, especially the mothers, of the infants must be going through."
Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday expressed his deepest condolences over the death of 24 people, including 12 newborns in 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday, in a civil hospital in Nanded, Maharashtra and called for a detailed investigation. 
Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X, "The news of the death of 24 patients, including 12 infants, in a civil hospital in Nanded, Maharashtra is extremely painful, serious and worrying. It is being said that these patients died due to a lack of medicines and treatment. A similar incident took place in a government hospital in Thane in August 2023 in which 18 patients lost their lives." 
"Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Continuous such accidents have raised a question mark on the health system of the state government. We demand a detailed investigation so that the culprits of this negligence are given strict punishment from the judiciary," he added. (ANI)