A total of 31 deaths, including 12 infants, died between September 30 and October 1 in Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital at Nanded in Maharastra, confirmed sources. Though only 24 deaths were confirmed initially, the latest figures peg the deaths at 31.
Amid the furore over the death, the hospital dean has rejected all speculations that the deaths were caused by shortage of medicines and staff. Shyamrao Wakode told ANI that the deceased patients were suffering from different ailments such as diabetes, liver failure, and kidney failure.
"These children were suffering from different ailments. Among the adults, there were eight patients between 70 and 80 years of age. They had different problems, like diabetes, liver failure, and kidney failure. Patients usually come here in serious condition," said Wakode, adding, "There was no shortage of medicines or doctors. Proper care was provided to the patients, but their bodies did not respond to the treatment, which caused deaths," he said.
He added that 12 adults also died due to various ailments like snake bites, arsenic and phosphorus poisoning.
Meanwhile, the three-member expert committee set up to probe the deaths will submit its report on Tuesday afternoon. Dr Dilip Mhaisekar, director of Medical Education and Research, Maharashtra, said an expert panel was formed on Monday. "A three-member expert committee from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) district has been formed with a mandate to submit a report by 1 pm on Tuesday. I am personally visiting the hospital to review the situation," Mhaisekar informed.
Nanded government hospital will submit its report on Tuesday afternoon, said Dr Dilip Mhaisekar, director of Medical Education and Research, Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, the Opposition has mounted protest mounted an attack on the Eknath Shinde government over the deaths in a government hospital in Maharashtra's Nanded, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar bemoaning the apathy of the state government.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP government spends crores of rupees on publicity but there is no money for children's medicines. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said the news of the death of 24 people, including 12 newborns, due to a shortage of medicines in a government hospital in Maharashtra is extremely saddening and expressed his deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. "The BJP government spends thousands of crores of rupees on its publicity, but there is no money for medicines for children? In the eyes of the BJP, the lives of the poor have no value," he alleged.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh asked Modi to break his "silence" on the incident.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge called for a detailed investigation into the case saying the incident was "extremely painful, serious and worrying". "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.