At least 15 newborns died at the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) in Assam in one week, prompting the state health department to launch a probe into the matter.

The reported deaths happened at the special care newborn unit of the hospital between November 1 and 6.

The hospital authorities have formed a six-member committee to look into the matter, JMCH Superintendent Saurav Borkakoti told PTI.

Borkakoti, however, claimed the deaths were not due to medical negligence or neglect of the hospital.

"Sometimes the number of patients coming to the hospital may be large and so the figure of death of newborns may also be large. It depends in what situation the patients have come to the hospital. They may have come with prolonged labour, with low birth weight. In such circumstances, those newborns may die," Borkakoti said.

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters that a team of experts, including the director of medical education assisted by UNICEF and a paediatric doctor from Gauhati Medical College and Hospital along with another doctor of Assam Medical College and Hospial, Dibrugarh have proceeded to Jorhat to investigate the deaths.

(With inputs from PTI)