India baby deaths probe launched

By Omer Farooq
BBC News, Hyderabad

Hospitals in India often lack treatment facilities for babies

Authorities in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh have begun an investigation into the deaths of six new-born babies in a hospital.

The babies died in a government hospital in Vijayawada city over the weekend.

Parents have alleged that medical negligence led to the babies' deaths. Hospital officials say most of them died of "natural causes".

Reports say a shortage of oxygen and ventilators may have led to the deaths.

The deaths at a state-run paediatric hospital have angered local people who have protested outside the hospital.

The state Human Rights Commission has also sought details about the deaths from the government and recommended action if any officials were found guilty of negligence.

Treatment at the hospital is either free or at a nominal cost, and poorer families bring their children for treatment.

Shortage of ventilators

State Health Minister Sudharshan Reddy said while many babies at the hospital required ventilators, only one of them was in a working condition.

"The deaths happened because of the negligence of the doctors and nurses," said Durga Bhavani, whose baby boy died.

However, hospital chief Dr SB Lal said Ms Bhavani's child died because of asthma.

He said most of the babies had died of "natural causes" and only one was suspected to have died because of malfunctioning ventilators.

"The children were in a critical condition due to various ailments and we could not save their lives," Dr Lal said.

The 60-bed hospital has 20 incubators, but only seven of them are working. It does not have a centralised oxygen supply system.

In 2002, 18 babies died over three days at a state-run hospital in the eastern city of Calcutta - the deaths were blamed on a shortage of oxygen and hospital beds.

And in 2001, 11 children died in a hospital in the northern city of Lucknow, allegedly due to a lack of oxygen cylinders.