Eight babies in Barpeta hospital died of birth asphyxia: expert committee

Guwahati: The expert committee constituted by the Assam health department to look into cause of death of eight babies in Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital (FAAMCH) in Barpeta, found that the all the newborns were diagnosed with "severe birth asphyxia". The committee's report said while the infrastructure facilities at the sick neonatal care unit (SNCU) of FAAMCH were adequate, the condition of the newborns was very critical and most of the mothers also had pregnancy related complications.

Eight babies aged between four to two days died at FAAMCH on October 4. "Majority of the mothers did not have proper antenatal care and attended the hospital very late while in labour. Two of the mothers had home deliveries," the report said.
It said that most of the mothers were in critical condition with complications like oligo-hydromnios and severe anemia.
"Four of the eight babies were of low birth weight in addition to birth asphyxia," the report said.
The committee observed that antenatal check-up awareness among the pregnant women, timely medication and proper nutrition would prevent such situation.

However, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) on Friday was not happy with the investigation and demanded high-level probe. AIUDF general secretary, Abdur Rahim said that the death of eight babies in FAAMCH was very unfortunate and indicated inadequacies in infrastructure facilities of the hospital.

"We were told that the condition of mothers were also critical. If that is so then it raises the fingers against the ASHA workers in areas from where the mothers were brought to the hospital. It meant that ASHA workers were not doing their job properly in terms of creating awareness among pregnant women," Khan alleged. Khan claimed that many posts in the FAAMCH were still vacant, while a significant number of doctors including faculties have taken voluntary retirement. End