Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi / Gorakhpur, Aug 14: In an unexpected move, Uttar Pradesh’s Yogi Adityanath government has removed Dr Kafeel Khan whose quick decision-making ability saved lives of several children at the Gorakhpur’s Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College and Hospital. The government has sacked him even as he was being hailed in the media for his heroic deed. The Yogi government has not offered any reason for Dr Khan’s sacking.
Dr Khan has been terminated as the Nodal Officer for the Department of Pediatrics on Sunday just after the visit of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to the hospital where more than 70 children have reportedly died in the last one week. Dr. Bhupendra Sharma has been appointed as new Nodal Officer for the department.
Dr Kafeel Khan, as head of the Department of Pediatrics of the hospital, had managed to save lives of many children admitted in the hospital by arranging 3 oxygen cylinders with the help of his friends and private vendors on the night of 10th August.
As per several media reports, last week total 63 children died due to shortage of liquid oxygen in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College and hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, the parliamentary constituency of CM Adityanath.
Talking to the media KK Gupta, Director General, Medical Education said: “While 52 cylinders were available in in the stock of the hospital on that night, Dr Khan did not do anything extra. This is peak season for encephalitis. It’s clear these deaths have no relation with shortage of Oxygen.”
On Saturday, the state govt. suspended Dr Rajeev Mishra, Principal of BRD Medical College for his alleged carelessness. Dr PK Singh, Principal of Rajkiya Medical College, Ambedkar Nagar, has been given additional charge of BRD Medical College.
Govt. Orders Probe amid Public Anger
State’s BJP government is facing much criticism from public to the opposition as 33 children died just a day after a visit by CM Aditynath to the hospital to monitor health services on 9th August. CM Yogi also tweeted about the visit.
While briefing to the media about the death figures on Saturday, state’s Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh in a shocking statement said, “Deaths due to encephalitis in the month of August is an every year affair.”
“Children have not died due to disruption of gas supply. All the children died due to different reasons,” he said.
Though the state govt. has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident, it has denied that the reason of deaths was shortage of oxygen in the hospital and the media reports were false.
However, Gorakhpur District Magistrate Rajeev Rautela on Friday told media that there was shortage of liquid oxygen at the medical college due to non-payment of Rs 70 lakh to the vendor supplying oxygen and the vendors had stopped supply.
An FIR has also been filed against Pushpa Oxygen Supplier, the vendor that was supplying oxygen to the hospital.
According to media reports, the death toll is still rising and with new cases of casualties it has risen up to 72 on Sunday. Several children suffering from encephalitis are still battling for their lives in the hospital.
Public Anger Forces CM Yogi to Visit Hospital Again
Facing public anger, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday visited the hospital, second time in four days, and said anyone found guilty of negligence would not be spared.
“I have formed a high level Committee under the supervision of the Chief Secretary and a thorough probe has been ordered to check the cause of the deaths in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and the supply of oxygen,” he said.
“Let the report of the Committee come… I want to assure you all that not only in Gorakhpur but in any government hospital if there has been any lapse then we will take strict action after the BRD hospital tragedy,” he said.
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended every possible aid to the state government after he briefed him about the situation at the BRD Medical College and Hospital.
