At least five newborns have died at the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College Hospital in Assam's Barpeta district during the last 24 hours, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today.
"The infants died due to serious neo-natal medical complications and not due to human negligence," the minister said.
"Doctors tried their best to save the newborns and adequate medicines were available in the hospital," the minister said.
"I have talked to the doctors concerned and they have categorically said that the infants could not be saved in spite of their best possible care," he added.
These mortalities are related to purely critical nature of the case like age of the mother or weight of the baby, Sarma said.
The minister has also ordered an inquiry.
Meanwhile, senior officials of the Directorate of Medical Education of Assam along with UNICEF consultants went to the hospital to audit the deaths.
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