89 Infant Deaths In A Month, Bengal Sacks Malda Hospital's Top 2 Officials

The West Bengal Health Department has removed the superintendent and the head of the paediatrics department at Malda Medical College and Hospital following the deaths of 89 newborns at the hospital in August.

The Health Department issued the orders on Saturday, days after a seven-member expert committee inspected the hospital's paediatrics and maternity departments and reviewed the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The special team, led by Health Department official Prolay Acharya, visited Malda Medical College and Hospital last Saturday and held a meeting with officials of the medical college.

During the visit, the team raised concerns over a lack of coordination among different departments of the medical college, according to hospital sources. The committee is expected to submit its findings in writing to the State Health Department.

Within a week of the inspection, the Health Department ordered the removal of Malda Medical College and Hospital MSVP (Super) Prosenjit Bor and the head of the paediatrics department, Sushma Shaw.

Professor Ganesh Chandra Gain of the ENT department has been appointed as the new superintendent, replacing Bor.

Professor Bishwanath Basu of the Medicine (Paediatrics) department at NRS Medical College and Hospital has been appointed head of the paediatrics department, replacing Shaw.

Malda Medical College and Hospital Principal Partha Pratim Mukherjee confirmed that the orders were received on Saturday.

“The newly appointed superintendent and head of the children's department will take charge on Monday,” Mukherjee said.

The Health Department's expert committee is expected to submit its report on the newborn deaths and the functioning of the hospital's paediatrics and maternity departments.

(With inputs from Karunamoye Singha)