Dr Vardhan speaks to Rajasthan Chief Minister on Kota child deaths, assures all support

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on January 2, 2020, spoke to  Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Kota child deaths and assured him all support.

” I have spoken to Ashok Gehlotji, Chief Minister of Rajasthan today and assured him of all possible support to prevent further deaths in Kota tragedy. A multi-disciplinary team of experts including top paediatricians is being sent by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to support the State government for gap analysis and quick measures to be taken. The team will reach Kota tomorrow,”stated by Dr Harsh Vardhan on January 2.

The high-level team comprises Dr.Kuldeep Singh. Head of Paediatrics and Dean Academies, AIIMS Jodhpur; Dr. Deepak Saxena, Senior Regional Director, Rajasthan, H&FW, GOI; Dr.Arun Singh, Prof of Neonatology, AIIMS, Jodhpur; and Dr Himanshu Bhushan, Adviser, NHSRC, MOHFW.

Apart from carrying out join gap analysis along with the state Government in terms of clinical protocols, service delivery, manpower availability and equipment for maternal, newborn and paediatric care services at the Medical College Kota, Rajasthan, the team of experts will develop a joint action plan based on gap analysis for providing required technical and financial support to Kota Medical College through National Health Mission and State Medical Education Department. The team members will visit JK Lone Hospital and Medical College, Kota, along with State government officials from January 3, 2020, and submit a detailed report.

In a recent letter written to the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan had expressed concern over the child deaths at J K Lon Hospital of Kota Medical College, Rajasthan. He stated that while it is heartening to note that the State of Rajasthan is persistently showing significant decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) for the last four years, available information from Special Newborn Care Units (SNCU) under the National Health Mission, and the State Government have showed higher mortality rate of 20.2% at J. K. Lon Hospital, Kota, during 2019 in comparison to the preceding two years (Year 2018 = 14.3%; Year 2017=4.3%), according to a PIB release.

Further, the Union Health Minister had requested the Chief Minister, Rajasthan to assess the situation and take proactive steps to avoid these preventable child deaths. ” We, from Government of India, are ready to provide any technical assistance in this matter. We look forward to your continued support and cooperation for Improving child survival in the country, so as to ensure that no child succumbs to preventable causes or due to lack of our health system capacity,” DR Vardhan said.