Even as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister plans for big celebrations on Janmashtami even as 65 children in the state lost their lives, the National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Government of Uttar Pradesh, through its Chief Secretary, calling for a detailed report in the matter.
The commission said in the notice that it "has observed that reported deaths, in such a large number in a government run hospital, amount to serious violation of Right to Life and Health of the innocent victims. This indicates towards gross callousness on part of the hospital administration and the Medical Education and Health Department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. Earlier also, it has come across several instances of deaths in the hospitals due to Japanese Encephalitis."
The notice claimed that while state officials and administration gave it assurance during 'Open Hearing' and 'Camp Sitting' sessions in Lucknow about the increasing Japanese Encephalitis deaths in the state, the NHRC has observed that nothing was done to curb it.
Over 60 children have died at Uttar Pradesh's BRD Medical College Hospital since August 7 because of lack of oxygen in the hospital. This happened reportedly because the hospital did not pay its outstanding dues of Rs 70 lakhs to the vendors.
PTI reported that at least 30 children were reported dead in the last two days alone. Many of the victims were infants who perished in the neo-natal intensive care unit.
The Hindu had reported on Sunday that while the Uttar Pradesh government admitted that there was a shortage of gas supply in the hospital on the night of August 10, no deaths happened because of it.
The report quoted UP health minister Siddharth Nath Singh as saying that gas cylinders were immediately added after the hospital faced low-pressure of oxygen at around 7.30 pm.