In 22 hours, 7 babies die in Assam hospital

GUWAHATI: Seven newborn babies have died in the state run Fakkhrudin Ali Ahmed Medical College in Assam's Barpeta in less than 22 hrs since Wednesday evening, setting off alarm bells in the state, which has a high infant mortality rate.

While five of the babies died between 7.20 pm and 11 pm on Wednesday, two died on Thursday. All of them were either 2 or 4 days old. The condition of four others is critical. Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the mortalities are purely related to the critical nature of the cases like pregnancy at an early age and the babies being underweight.

"We have been talking about the dangers of giving birth to a child at a very early age both within and outside the assembly. Two mothers are aged between 19 and 20. There was no negligence in medical care. The babies were very we- ak and the doctors tried their level best," he added.

Sarma pointed out that the hospital records 60 infant deaths on an average every month which means two infants are dying everyday on an average in the hospital. "Yesterday, it was more than average as five babies died," he added.