At Delhi’s government-run super-specialty children’s hospital, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, new data shows an alarming rise in juvenile fatalities. Over 4,000 children under the age of five have passed away at the facility from a variety of ailments, including sepsis, pneumonia, and septic shock, between 2019 and June of this year, according to data gathered through a Right to Information (RTI) request.
With 875 deaths overall, 2019 witnessed the highest number of these deaths; by June of 2023, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 314 deaths had occurred. At the height of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, 866 deaths were recorded; in 2021, 626 deaths were documented. 866 people died in 2022; in 2023, that number dropped to 548.
Sepsis, pneumonia, septic shock, and septicemia were the main causes of mortality for these young infants, according to the RTI data. RTI activist Amit Gupta made the initial request for the data in an effort to ascertain the total number of infant deaths occurring in the several Delhi government-run hospitals. Gupta, however, only obtained information from Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya. He has not yet received comparable information from other facilities, even though the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) was notified of his request.
Gupta voiced his alarm at the startling information, pointing out that Delhi is known for having state-of-the-art medical facilities. He underlined the need for better strategies to lower child death rates, saying that the data are concerning for a city known for its reputation for high-standard healthcare.
There was no response to calls and texts made to the hospital administration asking for more information or a commentary on the data. The information draws attention to a serious public health concern and emphasizes the pressing need for all-encompassing approaches to address and reduce pediatric mortality. The aforementioned data highlights the imperative requirement for continuous enhancements in healthcare provisions and efficacious measures to guarantee superior results for pediatric patients.
SOURCE :
TIMES OF INDIA
