Gorakhpur tragedy: Centre directs MoS Health to visit BRD hospital

Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 12 (ANI): Union Health Minister JP Nadda has directed MoS Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel to visit Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College, to look into the tragic death of 64 lives that occurred due to alleged disruption in the supply of liquid oxygen to the hospital. Nadda further told ANI that he has also sought report from State Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh and Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a probe into the case and has assured strict action against the guilty. As many as 64 lives have been lost so far due to alleged disruption in the supply of liquid oxygen in the hospital, to which Opposition has demanded the resignation of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Siddharth Nath Singh, blaming the state government for its sheer failure in providing proper medical facilities to the patients in time. The shortage of oxygen allegedly led to encephalitis, which is a sudden onset inflammation of the brain, following which the children died. Meanwhile, four more deaths have been reported from the BRD hospital today. 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 further appealed to the suppliers to not cut the supply henceforth. Following this report, 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. 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)