Maharashtra's Nanded hospital had just 3 nurses for 60 babies: Congress
PTC News Desk: More than 60 infants were admitted to the government hospital in Maharashtra's Nanded city where 31 patients died in a span of 48 hours a few days ago, but there were only three nurses to care for the babies, according to Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.
According to the MLA from Bhokar in Nanded district, one warmer was used to treat three babies at a time, and the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital's NICU had just three nurses.
Chavan was addressing the media on Tuesday following a party meeting in central Maharashtra.
"When I visited the (NICU) ward in the government-run hospital (in Nanded) after the incident (of 24 patients dying in a single day and 7 more in the next 24 hours), I saw one warmer being used to treat three infants at a time. Only three nurses were there for more than 60 infants in the ward," he stated.
Chavan stated that the hospital, named after his late father, is overcrowded.
"It is a 500-bed hospital, but more than 1,000 patients are admitted there. It is a fact that the facility was short on medicines and posts of doctors were also vacant. We have given 40 to 50 nurses to the hospital from our side. The government says they will fill up the vacancies. But till then what should be done?" he asked.
Following several deaths at the hospital in late September and early October, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that there was no shortage of medicines at the state-run facility.
"We don't want to engage in a blame game here, but work should be done," the Congress leader further said.
- PTC NEWS
