Nanded: A government hospital in Nanded, Maharashtra, witnessed a tragic event in the past 24 hours, with a total of 24 patients losing their lives, a dozen of them being newborns. This heartbreaking incident has prompted Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to pledge a thorough investigation and assure that appropriate actions will be taken.

Dr. Wakode, the Dean of Doctor Shanakarrao Chavan Hospital in Nanded, provided further details on the unfortunate situation. He reported that within the span of 24 hours, six male and six female newborns succumbed to various medical conditions. Additionally, 12 adults also met their demise, their causes of death ranging from ailments to even snake bites.

It’s important to note that this hospital serves as a tertiary-level medical facility, often catering to patients from remote areas who have no access to healthcare facilities within a 70-80km radius. Dr. Wakode acknowledged the challenges faced by the hospital, such as staff transfers and difficulties in procuring medicines from the Halfkin Institute.

On the other hand, Dr. Kishore Rathod, the Head of the Paediatrics Department, defended the hospital’s capabilities, stating that there were no shortcomings in patient care. He emphasized that critical patients were promptly referred to other hospitals, and the hospital was fully equipped to provide necessary treatments.

This tragic incident has raised concerns about the state of healthcare infrastructure and services in Nanded and the need for further investigations to determine the causes of these unfortunate deaths. The government is expected to take swift action to address any issues and prevent such incidents in the future.