Gorakhpur: BRD data reveals drop in death rate in Aug, Sept this year

Death of 418 children in August and 433 in September 2017 during treatment at BRD medical college in Gorakhpur are far less as compared to the deaths in the corresponding months in the previous years, reveals hospital data.

BRD medical college was in the news over the death of 30 children due to alleged disruption in oxygen supply on August 10 and 11.

The official data shows that the number of casualties dropped sharply in both August and September this year as compared to previous years. Last year, the total no of deaths in September was 601. In September 2014, and 2015 the hospital reported 563 and 635 deaths.

The September figure includes 186 deaths from encephalitis, the annual killer in East UP. Of the total deaths in September this year, 57 deaths have occurred in 96 hours between August 28 and September 1.

In August, too, the total number of deaths declined from 587 in 2016 to 418 this year. In August 2014 and 15, the number of deaths reported were 567 and 668.

Besides AES/JE, the deaths are reported from neonatal as well as paediatric wards, where patients other than those of encephalitis are admitted.

Uttar Pradesh health minister Siddharthanath Singh, who was criticised on social media for his remarks over deaths of children in August this year, had appointed a team of 20 new paediatricians to improve health services at the hospital which bears huge load of encephalitis patients from different districts of East UP, Bihar and even from Nepal.

Attributing the decline in deaths to the steps taken by the government, Dr KP Singh, the new BRD principal who joined after ex-principal Rajeev Mishra was sacked, said, “The deaths have declined in both the months. With more paediatricians, we can provide better and fast treatment. For new born babies, 20 new warmers have been set up at the hospital. Besides, much attention has been paid to improve cleanliness to help check spread of infection.”

MLA Radha Mohan Das Aggarwal, who is also a child specialist, while taking to HT earlier had called for an in-depth research on encephalitis to deal with the crisis effectively. Earlier, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had started a statewide sanitation campaign from his home town Gorakhpur to check spread of encephalitis. He also launched a vaccination campaign for JE from here.