Sargodha tragedy: Resource crunch blamed for infant deaths

Punjab govt submits report to the SC in compliance with CJ’s orders.

ISLAMABAD:

The Punjab government has admitted that a lack of resources is among the causes behind the deaths of 26 newborns at the Sargodha District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

In a report submitted by the Punjab health secretary to the Supreme Court on Thursday in compliance with Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk’s orders, the provincial government confessed that there is a gap between available resources and the patients’ load at the Sargodha DHQ Hospital. A copy of the report is available with The Express Tribune.

“During the visit to the facility, 18 babies were oxygen dependent, whereas on the day of incident, 50 babies were admitted for treatment against the available strength of 12 beds. No ventilator is available. Six baby warmers were present out of which four were functional. Three phototherapy units and seven oxygen supply systems were available and functional,” stated the report which was compiled by an inquiry team comprising five senior doctors.

It added that each oxygen supply system at the hospital was being used for multiple babies after being modified locally in a ‘non-professional manner’. The report further revealed that there was one cardiac monitor which had the facility for checking the oxygen situation, but the sensor attached with it was intended for use with adult patients.



At the same time, the inquiry team determined prematurity, low birth weight, septicaemia and birth asphyxia as the actual causes of the deaths of the infants.

While submitting the report, the Punjab health secretary told the court that in view of the inquiry report, the medical superintendent of the Sargodha DHQ Hospital has been suspended and disciplinary proceedings against him have been initiated. He added that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has also directed the Punjab health department to ensure provision of free medicines to patients being kept in the emergency wards of hospitals in the province.

Meanwhile, the report said seven committees comprising experts and parliamentarians have been constituted to identify issues and prepare concrete recommendations to tackle healthcare issues in Punjab. It added that these committees will present their recommendations to CM Punjab within a week.

The Punjab chief minister constituted the inquiry team which compiled the report on November 19, when news of the deaths of 19 newborn babies at the Sargodha DHQ Hospital emerged. The team, after completing its work, had submitted its report to the chief minister.

On Tuesday, as the death toll mounted to 26, the chief justice put top Punjab government officials on notice and directed them to submit a report on the crisis within 48 hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2014.