Pediatric Department Head Dr. Kafeel Khan was removed from his post hours after Yogi Adityanath said guilty won’t be spared. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)
In the aftermath of Gorakhpur hospital tragedy, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday removed Dr. Kafeel Khan as the nodal officer for the Department of Pediatrics of Baba Raghav Das Medical College, ANI reported.
Dr. Bhupendra Sharma has been appointed in place of Khan, whose removal comes a day after Rajeev Mishra was suspended from the post of college principal with immediate effect for negligence in delaying the release of payment to the supplier of oxygen to the hospital. In addition, Dr PK Singh, Principal of Rajkiya Medical College, Ambedkar Nagar, has been given additional charge of BRD Medical College.
Over 70 children have died since August 7 at the medical college in Gorakhpur , which falls under Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s Lok Sabha constituency. Infections and possible disruption of oxygen supply in the paediatrics ward are being blamed for the death, but the hospital and district administration have dismissed the inadequate oxygen supply as the reason for the tragedy.
Among ailments, Japanese encephalitis is said to be the primary reason for the tragic incident. Gorkhapur is the worst-affected region in Uttar Pradesh by encephalitis. Although vaccines are available, there is no such vaccine for checking Acute Encephalitis Syndrome and better hygiene is the only way to thwart it off.
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On Saturday, CM Adityanath attributed a variety of ailments, not a cut in the supply of oxygen, as the reason for deaths. The Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government has come under heavy scrutiny ever since the news broke out, with the Opposition demanding the resignation of state health minister Siddharth Nath Singh as well as of the chief minister.
With ANI, PTI inputs
