Gorakhpur Tragedy: Infant Deaths, Principal of Gorakhpur Medical College Rajeev Mishra Resigns

• Mishra was suspended due to his irresponsible act of allegedly delaying payment to the supplier of oxygen cylinders
• The guilty will not be spared and the government would act cruelly
• Adityanath also held a review meeting of healthcare

Lucknow, August 13, 2017: Gorakhpur Tragedy took many turns, the principal held responsible for the deaths due to lack of oxygen cylinders resigned, then Sidharth Nath Singh, Anupriya Patel, and Yogi Adityanath spoke on the serious issue and showed their concerns to the children's families who suffered.

Dr. Rajeev Mishra, Principal, Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh who was suspended after the death of 30 infants (within a span of 48 hours) since August 10, resigned yesterday from the post. The principal, Rajeev Mishra in his letter to the Director General of Medical Education and Training said that he has tendered his resignation from the post and takes the moral responsibility for the recent death of 30 children admitted to the hospital's pediatric ward.

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UP Health Minister, Sidharth Nath Singh confirmed the resignation of Mishra from the post of the BRD medical college principal. According to PTI report, he said, "Yes, he has resigned. But no good, because we have already suspended him and initiated inquiry of his misdoings." Sidharth Nath Singh and UP Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon said that Mishra was suspended due to his irresponsible act of allegedly delaying payment to the supplier of oxygen cylinders.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said that the guilty will not be spared and the government would act cruelly and with a firm hand in order to punish callous officials responsible for it.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spoke on the Gorakhpur Tragedy and said that he had started the fight against Encephalitis in Gorakhpur. His thoughts are with grieving families. Adityanath has toured the hospital twice since becoming chief minister. He said, "We will be getting a detailed report on the cause of deaths. Not all of them were due to lack of oxygen. We have constituted a committee to be led by the chief secretary to inquire the role of oxygen supplier in the incident." Following this incident, a Candle light march was held yesterday at BRD Medical College.

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Gorakhpur DM Rajeev Rautela said that 17 children have died in the neo-natal ward, 5 in the ward meant for patients suffering from acute encephalitis syndrome and 8 in the general ward. He denied the children's death due to lack of oxygen though confirmed that indeed there was a shortage of liquid oxygen at the medical college and due to non-payment of Rs 70 lakh, the vendor supplying oxygen stopped the supply. He further added that part payment of Rs 35 lakh has been made to the vendor and that he had been requested not to disrupt the oxygen supply.

Adityanath also held a review meeting of healthcare, among other things. The father of an infant from Padrauna told media that there was an acute shortage of oxygen and accused authorities are lying to the media. "I am ready to hear the worst about my child," he said amid flowing tears.

Another worried father, Deep Chandra belonging to Basti district also echoed similar sentiments and said that for the last 48 hours, there was no oxygen supply and the children admitted here at the hospital were left to die despite prayers and requests to the officials of the medical college. Dozens of children admitted to the hospital are hanging between life and death situation and in absence of proper treatment, medicines, and oxygen, they have lost hope, said many others.

– prepared by Kritika Dua of NewsGram. Twitter @DKritika08

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