Gorakhpur hospital tragedy: Investigation initiated, assures UP Dy. CM Maurya

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Aug. 12 (ANI): In the wake of the dreadful Gorakhpur hospital tragedy claiming 63 lives allegedly due to lack of oxygen supply, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday said the guilty will not be spared. Over 30 infants at Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College's hospital died due to alleged disruption in the supply of liquid oxygen. "If somebody has shown negligence even after being intimated, then strict action will be taken against him. The guilty will not be spared," Maurya said. Maurya further maintained that the Uttar Pradesh Government always has medical and health facilities on its priority list, adding that proper investigation has been initiated in the mishap. "The BJP, under the leadership of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is working towards the betterment of the people of the state. If some lapse has taken place, then proper investigation will take place. The welfare of the people will be seen at any cost," he said. "It is our government's priority to provide medical and health facilities. What has happened is saddening. Our sympathies are with the affected families," he added. Meanwhile, Adityanath called an emergency meeting over the same. Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh and Minister for Medical Education Ashutosh Tandon will visit Gorakhpur after meeting the Chief Minister here. Earlier in the day, the alleged disruption in the supply of liquid oxygen at the hospital claimed lives of two more children. The shortage of oxygen allegedly led to encephalitis, which is a sudden onset inflammation of the brain, following which the children died. Earlier on Friday, it was reported that as many as 30 children lost their lives due to encephalitis in a span of 48 hours at the hospital. Gorakhpur DM Rajeev Rautela said that the cause of the deaths at the BRD Hospital was the disruption in the supply of liquid oxygen and has further appealed to the suppliers to not cut the supply henceforth. Following this reports, the Uttar Pradesh Government jumped in defence of the medical college, while also assuring that the District Magistrate has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and the report will be out in 24 hours. "There haven't been any deaths due to lack of oxygen supply. And 'only' seven children have died today. Today three deaths happened in Neonatal ICU, two due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and two due to Non-AES," UP Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon said. "The District Magistrate has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. The report will be out in 24 hours," he added. He further said that the arrangement of oxygen cylinders was duly made and a strict action will be taken against those responsible for the mishap. Meanwhile, according to data procured from the BRD hospital, in past five days - from August 7 to August 11, a total of 60 deaths have occurred in the hospital. The procured data also shows the number of oxygen cylinders sent for refilling each day, showing a clear shortage of liquid oxygen in the hospital. (ANI)