A total of 290 children have died in the Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur in August, of which 213 fatalities were in the neo natal ICU and 77 in the encephalitis ward, its principal Dr. P.K. Singh said.

There have been 1,250 deaths since last January at the hospital, especially in the encephalitis, infant and children’s wards, he observed.

Giving a break-up of the casualties, Dr. Singh said 37 children died on August 27 and 28. Of this, 26 died in the neo natal ICU (NICU) and 11 in the encephalitis ward.

The death toll in January was 152 (143 in the NICU and nine in the encephalitis ward), in February it was 122 (117 and five), in March 159 (141 and 18), in April 123 (114 and nine), May 139 (127 and 12), June 137 (125 and 12), July 128 (95 and 33), he said.

Children with different complications and ailments arising out of premature delivery, under weight, jaundice, pneumonia, infectious diseases and encephalitis are admitted to the hospital, mostly in a very serious condition.

“A lot many lives can be saved if patients are brought here earlier,” Dr. Singh stressed.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath had formed a committee on August 12, a day after the death of children were reported at the hospital. The State government had also shunted out additional chief secretary, medical education, Anita Bhatnagar Jain.