'Thirty children' die in hospital

By Subir Bhaumik
BBC News, Calcutta

At least 30 children have died of "infections" in a hospital in the town of Behrampore in India's eastern state of West Bengal, doctors say.

The children died over the past week in a government-run general hospital in the state's Murshidabad district.

Ten of these children died in the past two days, according to Barun Santra, superintendent of the hospital.

"We have been trying to shift them to newly constructed blocks to avoid further infection," Mr Santra said.

But he did not specify what had caused the infections.

'Chaos'

Locals blame a lack of hygiene and overcrowding for large scale infections which in turn has lead to such a high number of child deaths.

"There is chaos in this hospital. No hygiene, no cleanliness, too few doctors and too many patients. And very little space. People lie on floor for treatment," said Behrampore's representative in the Indian parliament, Adhir Chowdhury.

He blamed West Bengal's left wing government for "swallowing up funds meant for health infrastructure".

"All the money that comes for hospitals finds its way into leftist party coffers," Mr Chowdhury alleged.

West Bengal's Health Minister Surjakanta Mishra admitted that "many children have died" in Behrampore general hospital but said: "We are conducting an investigation now and I cannot say much before that is completed."

West Bengal's government-run hospitals are notorious for their uncleanliness, lack of hygiene, overcrowding and negligence.

Twelve children died in a similar incident in a referral hospital run by the state government in Calcutta in 2002.