New Delhi (dpa) - The deaths of 17 newborn babies at a state
hospital in India sparked protests, with angry relatives smashing
furniture and allegedly attacking doctors on Thursday, officials
said.
The deaths, which the parents of the infants say was as a result
of negligence by hospital staff, have occurred at the BC Roy hospital
in the eastern metropolis of Kolkata since Tuesday.
"Seventeen children have died during the last 48 hours," hospital
superintendent Dilip Roy told reporters adding that a "majority of
the infants had died due to infection related problems".
But Roy denied that the hospital or its doctors were at fault.
"Most of them were admitted in critical condition, some were
suffering from septicemia or low-birth weight problems," Roy said.
"There is no negligence on part of the doctors but they (parents)
have complained about bad behaviour on part of the staff," he added.
Mamata Bannerjee, chief minister of the West Bengal state promised
an investigation.
"I have set up a committee to inquire into the unusual deaths. I
will take stern action," she said.
The medical institute is considered to be the largest referral
paediatric hospital in India's eastern region.
Reports of deaths of infants have been reported from the hospital
in 2006 more than 20 babies had died within a week, news reports
said. Thirty-one babies had died in the same hospital in 2002.
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