Public health: 2 more infants die at Sargodha hospital
2,241 infants have died at the hospital in two years.
In November, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had taken notice of the deaths of infants at the hospital. He formed a high-level committee to investigate the matter. STOCK IMAGE
FAISALABAD:
Two newborns died at Sargodha District Teachings Headquarters Hospital on Tuesday. Eighty-one children have died at the hospital in 49 days.
Over the past two years, 2,241 infants have died at the hospital, some owing to alleged negligence of hospital staff and some due to lack of oxygen, incubators or intensive care.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Medical Superintendent Dr Pervaiz Haidar said that the hospital faced staff and equipment shortage.
“Due to overcrowding, the hospital administration is facing severe problems. Complicated cases from private hospitals and clinics are also referred to the hospital at the last minute. This raises the mortality count,” Haidar said.
He said that the hospital administration had devised a comprehensive strategy to deal with the high infant mortality at the hospital.
“We will launch a campaign to create awareness among people living in rural areas to bring pregnant women to the DHQ hospital, instead of relying on private clinics and untrained midwives,” he said.
In November, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had taken notice of the deaths of infants at the hospital. He formed a high-level committee to investigate the matter. The government removed the then MS Dr Iqbal Sami from his post. However, no other step was taken.
The hospital serves patients from Mianwali, Bhakkar, Khushab and Mandi Bahauddin districts.
The nursery of the DHQ hospital has 25 beds and five incubators and is almost always overcrowded.
The nursery is located a kilometre away from the main building.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2014.
Two newborns died at Sargodha District Teachings Headquarters Hospital on Tuesday. Eighty-one children have died at the hospital in 49 days.
Over the past two years, 2,241 infants have died at the hospital, some owing to alleged negligence of hospital staff and some due to lack of oxygen, incubators or intensive care.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Medical Superintendent Dr Pervaiz Haidar said that the hospital faced staff and equipment shortage.
“Due to overcrowding, the hospital administration is facing severe problems. Complicated cases from private hospitals and clinics are also referred to the hospital at the last minute. This raises the mortality count,” Haidar said.
He said that the hospital administration had devised a comprehensive strategy to deal with the high infant mortality at the hospital.
“We will launch a campaign to create awareness among people living in rural areas to bring pregnant women to the DHQ hospital, instead of relying on private clinics and untrained midwives,” he said.
In November, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had taken notice of the deaths of infants at the hospital. He formed a high-level committee to investigate the matter. The government removed the then MS Dr Iqbal Sami from his post. However, no other step was taken.
The hospital serves patients from Mianwali, Bhakkar, Khushab and Mandi Bahauddin districts.
The nursery of the DHQ hospital has 25 beds and five incubators and is almost always overcrowded.
The nursery is located a kilometre away from the main building.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2014.