2 infants succumb to pneumonia at two state-run hospitals on Sun
kolkata: Two children died of pneumonia at two different state-run hospitals on Sunday. An eight-month-old girl child from Basirhat died at BC Roy Children hospital following pneumonia.
The hospital authorities have not, however, given any statement on the death of the patient. However, it is suspected that the child had been infected with Adenovirus.
The patient was taken to the hospital on February 11 with fever but she was released from the outpatient department after a preliminary treatment. The patient was again brought to the same hospital on February 20 as the child didn’t recover from fever. She was admitted to the hospital with viral fever. Oxygen saturation was going down. She was put in the ventilation support. The patient died at 9 am on Sunday. Death certificate of the child mentioned she died of pneumonia. Sources said that more than 100 children are admitted to the hospital with similar symptoms.
In a separate incident a nine-month-old child from Howrah’s Udaynarayanpur died at the same hospital on Saturday. Family members alleged that the patient required an ICU bed on Saturday as her condition turned critical but there was no critical bed available in the hospital. They alleged that the patient died as she was not given adequate treatment on time. Meanwhile, a one-and-half-year old child from Howrah died at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital early Sunday morning.
The girl child died of pneumonia. The family members alleged that the patient could not be put in a ventilator. Intensive care beds in private hospitals have been occupied. Patients’ family members are facing difficulties getting their children admitted in private hospitals.
The incidents happened when there has been a rise in adenovirus infections among children. The state health department asked all the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMoHs) in the districts to make adequate arrangements of ventilators to meet any unforeseen situation. The Health department is taking all possible measures to keep adequate infrastructure in the district hospitals.
The CMoHs have been urged to open pediatric wards at female medicine wards of the hospital if the situation demands so. All the Chief Medical Officer of health (CMoHs) have already been directed to make arrangements for additional pediatric beds.
