Dying concerns: Five newborn deaths recorded in Sargodha

Toll rises to 75 in 40 days at District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ)

FAISALABAD: Five more neo-natal deaths were reported at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Sargodha due to a combination of factors including hospital negligence, as well as lack of intensive care unit facilities and life-saving equipment.

The infant fatality count has gone up to 75 during the last 40 days at the hospital whereas mortality of children was recorded 2,237 during the last two years.

However, Executive District Officer (EDO) Health Dr Muhammad Nazeer Nikokara told The Express Tribune “The five children’s deaths did not occur at once but they died during the last 48 hours after getting intensive care treatment.”



A number of enraged relatives of the children tried to attack the doctors and paramedical staff. Medical Superintendent the hospital Dr Iqbal Sami was suspended following the deaths.

Talking to The Express Tribune, an official at the hospital, acknowledged that there was an acute shortage of doctors, medical officers and other staff at DHQ Hospital.

Most of the medical specialists do not give enough time to the hospital, because some of them have their own clinics while others are working in private hospitals.

The nursery of the DHQ hospital has 25 beds and five incubators but they are always overcrowded and there is also shortage of incubators and oxygen gas cylinders for all the admitted infants.

When contacted, DHQ Hospital spokesman Dr Sikandar Warraich told The Express Tribune on Sunday, “The additional block of the DHQ Hospital Sargodha, which is attached to the medical college, is confronted with the acute shortage of the medical officers, female medical officers, nursing staff and other paramedics.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2014.