SARGODHA: Three more newborns died in the district headquarters hospital during the last 24 hours, pushing the facility’s death toll to 82, since Nov 18, 2014, according to sources.

Hospital’s Medical Superintendent Dr Pervez said two new sucker machines and as many syringe pumps had been provided to the pediatrics ward where no such facility was available previously.

He said two of the newborns who died during the last 24 hours at the hospital were seriously ill. He said one of them, Abdul Hadi, weighed only 2kg and was not taking food, was dehydrated and suffering from malnutrition.

Another newborn, 2.3kg Abdullah, had fits and was oxygen dependent, besides having acute kidney failure with little urine output. He said doctors could not be blamed for these deaths.

Dr Sikandar Warraich, PMA Punjab chapter vice president, claimed most of the infants were born premature and brought to the hospital in a very critical condition.

A doctor requesting anonymity said two to three deaths of newborns were treated as normal at such a major hospital, but the media had created a ‘hype’ on the issue.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2015

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