Madhya Pradesh Health Minister Prabhuram Choudhary on Tuesday removed two senior health department officials from their posts over deaths of 18 infants in 12 days at the Shahdol district hospital.
Choudhary inspected the Sick New-born Care Unit (SNCU) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in the hospital where the infants died. Hours after inspection, the minister ordered the removal of Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Rajesh Pandey and Civil Surgeon Dr VC Baria from their posts.
It is also to be noted here that action on health officers came days after Choudhary had said that inquiry into the death of infants at Shahdol district hospital found that doctors were not at fault.
Choudhary said that State Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other cabinet ministers are concerned over these deaths.
The minister said, as per preliminary investigation, the delay in bringing infants to the hospital was the main reason behind these fatalities. Most of them died due to asphyxia, pneumonia, premature birth, etc.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who faced massive criticism from Congress and netizens over the incident, had recently convened an emergency meeting regarding the incident.