The Hindu : Front Page : Hospital chief, two others shifted

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Wednesday, Dec 06, 2006
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Hospital chief, two others shifted

Special Correspondent

Seven infants die in Niloufer Hospital; transfers after YSR orders probe

TAKING STOCK: TDP leaders -- Errabilli Dayakar Rao and legislator G. Sayanna -- checking medicines at Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad on Tuesday. — Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Tuesday ordered immediate transfer of Superintendent N. C. K. Reddy and two senior doctors of Niloufer Hospital following the death of seven children during the last 24 hours.

Apart from the Superintendent, the others shifted are Resident Medical Officer-1 Laxman Reddy and Head, Department of Paediatrics Ananth Reddy. The transfers were effected after the Chief Minister reviewed the situation at an emergency meeting with Health Minister K. Rosaiah and senior officials after Director, Medical Education, I. Venkateswara Rao, enquired into the deaths and submitted a report.

According to a press release from the Chief Minister's Office, the Government viewed the matter seriously. Dr. Reddy asked the department to take action to improve the management of the hospital and patient care and to avoid recurrence of such incidents. He warned that negligence or lethargy on anyone's part would not be tolerated.

Politicians' visit

Earlier, Principal Secretary, Health, P. K. Agarwal and Dr. Venkateswara Rao visited the hospital and acquainted themselves with the happenings.

A five-member team of TDP legislators, led by P. Keshav and three TRS MLAs, led by G.Vijayarama Rao, visited the hospital and interacted with patients and the Superintendent.

Later talking to reporters, Mr. Keshav accused the Government of adopting a negligent attitude and demanded a judicial enquiry into the deaths. He criticised the Health Minister for not visiting the hospital and urged the Government to immediately rectify deficiencies in its functioning. The TDP leaders expressed dismay to the Superintendent when they found one of the wards congested with several children and asked: "Why are you trying to cover up facts?" Earlier, Dr. Reddy told the MLAs that there was no dearth of infrastructure and staff.

Mr. Keshav said that he found 40 children in a ward and told the Superintendent that they were kept like in a dungeon.

Mr. Vijayarama Rao charged the Congress and the Telugu Desam Governments with neglecting the hospital. He demanded that staff, bed strength and medicines be increased. He said the issue would be raised in the Assembly.

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