57 elderly patients died in Ballia District Hospital in 4 days, CMS removed

Baliya: 57 people admitted to the Ballia district hospital in Uttar Pradesh have died in four days, after which a committee of the health department has arrived here from Lucknow to find out the cause of death. The deaths come amid heat wave conditions in the region. However, Ballia’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Jayant Kumar said that till Sunday only two people had died of heat stroke in the district.

Heat is not the only reason: CMO

Director (Communicable Diseases) Dr. AK Singh and Director (Medical Care) K.N. Tiwari is included. elderly patients in the district

Dr Diwakar Singh, Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of the district hospital, was removed and sent to Azamgarh after allegedly making careless remarks about the cause of death. He had said on Friday that more than 20 patients died in the hospital due to the heat. A senior official said that Dr SK Yadav has been given the charge of CMS.

“According to district hospital records, out of 54 deaths, 40 per cent patients had fever while 60 per cent were suffering from other ailments. So far only two persons have died of heat stroke in the district.” CMO Kumar told PTI. CMS Yadav said that there is pressure on the hospital as around 125 to 135 patients are being admitted here daily.

“On June 15, 154 patients were admitted to the district hospital, out of which 23 patients died due to various reasons. While 20 patients died on June 16, 11 died the next day. All of them were over 60 years of age,” he added. The CMO said that three more patients died in the district hospital on Sunday.

According to health officials, the district hospital sees an average of eight deaths daily. Later speaking to the media after the inspection, Dr AK Singh said, “The number of deaths is worrying but most of the cases died within a few hours of hospitalisation.”

Singh said, “In most cases, death occurred between two and six hours after admission. Our medical staff could not get enough time to stabilize the patients or conduct necessary medical tests.” On the exact reason behind these deaths. He said that most of the patients who died are residents of Bansdih and Gadwar block of the district.

Patients complained of chest pain, irregular breathing and fever

The committee has also asked the officials to test the drinking water in the area. Director (Communicable Diseases) said, “Most of these patients complained of chest pain, irregular breathing and fever. All aspects of these symptoms will be looked into and necessary medical tests of body fluids will be done.”

Asked if the deaths were due to heat stroke recently, Singh said, “If it was true, similar deaths would have been reported from other districts where the temperature was similar or higher in the last few days.” Has been recorded. May cause high temperature.” For fever.” He admitted that coolers and other arrangements in the hospital wards were inadequate to deal with the heat.

Meanwhile, UP Transport Minister Daya Shankar Singh, who is the MLA from Ballia Nagar, on Sunday said that the death rate of the elderly increases during summer. “Most of the patients who died were in their 60s and 70s. This usually happens,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event here. When he was asked that the deaths are not stopping in Ballia, he said, ‘Natural deaths are also happening.’

The minister praised the arrangements made by the health department and described them as ‘good’. He said that two officers have come here and are monitoring the situation. Health officials said that from June 15 to June 17, around 400 patients were admitted to the district hospital.

District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar said that the number of beds in the district hospital has been increased to accommodate more patients. He said, “Some air coolers and air conditioners have been arranged in the district hospital to ensure that patients do not face any kind of trouble. Apart from this, 15 beds have also been increased.”

The DM also said, “CMS Dr Diwakar Singh has been sent to Azamgarh since he gave wrong information about the death figures.” Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak, who also holds the health portfolio, said, “The superintendent has been removed because he made careless remarks without knowledge about Loo. All chief medical officers and chief medical superintendents of the state have been removed.” ” Instructions have been given to identify each patient and provide treatment to them.”

Samajwadi Party has targeted the UP government

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav hit out at the state government over the deaths. Yadav said in a statement, “The death of 36 people due to heatstroke and heat stroke in Ballia district hospital in 24 hours is an unfortunate and shameful incident. 121 patients have died in eight days in Ballia. The poor are not getting treatment in the hospitals.” Used to be.” statement. He alleged, “The BJP government is neither able to provide electricity to the public nor is it able to provide treatment.”

On Saturday, OP Tiwari, Additional Director of the Health Department of Azamgarh Division, said that the Health Department team from Lucknow will come to Ballia and investigate, after which the cause of death will be known. Tiwari had said, “There is probably some disease, which has not been detected. The temperature in this region is also high. During summer and winter, the death rate usually increases in diabetics and people with difficulty in breathing and blood pressure.” Is.” Entire central and eastern UP including Ballia is in grip of humid heat. According to the India Meteorological Department, Ballia recorded a maximum temperature of 43.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, six notches above normal.