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Eight more infant deaths in Kolkata;
CM concedes lapses

Three died on Tuesday night at the B C Roy Children's Hospital. Hospital sources said they had died due to respiratory problems.

Five infants died at the N R S Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday, Superintendent S K Rudra said, adding three died in the children's ward and two in the surgical ward. But he said there was nothing "unusual" about the deaths.

Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee, who visited the B C Roy Children's Hospital, conceded "some lapses" on the part of the hospital management.

He said the government had no intention of concealing the truth. "It is a fact that so many children had died."

His comments came a day after state Health Minister Suryakant Mishra gave a clean chit to the hospital by saying that there was nothing "unusual" about the deaths.

However, the chief minister shared Mishra's view that there was no shortage of doctors, nursing staff and oxygen and no one had died due to infection.

He said the government had sought a report from the hospital superintendent and any lapses would be made known.

Bhattacharjee said a shortage of beds in the hospital arose due to sudden admissions of children who were nearing the terminal stages of their illness. "I have asked them if the number of beds can be increased on an emergency basis," he said.

He said the government would open a training institute-cum-hospital for children by merging three existing hospitals.

Meanwhile, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Justice J S Verma, who was in the city, also took note of the developments and discussed the matter with state government officials. "People responsible for it should be found and brought to book," he said.

State HRC Chairman Justice Mukulgopal Mukhopadhyay, who met Justice Verma, said he had sought a report from the government on the issue.

He said it was not possible for the police to verify technical aspects like lack of infrastructure, staff and other amenities in the hospital. "We sent a fax message to state Health Secretary Asim Burman and specified that the investigation be carried out by technical people," he said.

Mishra also rejected the Trinamool Congress' plea for a judicial inquiry into the deaths.

EARLIER REPORTS:
Judicial probe demand into death of children rejected
Minister blames Bengal govt for children's death
6 inmates' death forces closure of children's hospital in Kolkata

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