Kota infant deaths rise to 104, 'no need for state health min to visit', says CM Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said that there was no need for the state health minister to visit Kota for an inspection amid the 104 infants death. Gehlot said that the expert team had already visited the hospital and the media is only creating a bigger issue. Earlier on Thursday, Gehlot himself had urged the union health minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, to visit JK Lone hospital to inspect the situation. He has also mentioned that  the figure is currently at "its lowest in the past five to six years."

Speaking to the media Gehlot said, "There is no need for a health minister to visit. The expert team has quickly visited as soon as the incident was reported. The death of infants is very shocking. The media is creating issues and the political parties are giving it a blow. There have been more deaths of children during the BJP and they say that our Congress is falling short in governance." The state's health minister is set to visit the Kota hospital on Friday.

READ | CM Gehlot Invites Health Min Harsh Vardhan To Kota, To Dispel Politics Over Infant Deaths

On Thursday, Gehlot spoke on the infant deaths in Kota stating that the number of infant deaths has steadily been declining in the state. Earlier in the day, the JK Lone Hospital in Kota reported three more infant deaths at the start of the new year taking the toll to 103, following which the toll has once again risen. The Chief Minister also stated that the state government was working towards reducing the Infant Mortality Ratio (IMR) and the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in Rajasthan as well. 

"The number of infant deaths in the state is the least now as compared to the last 5-6 years. The situation has been improving for many years. Excellent medical arrangements are available in the hospitals," Chief Minister Gehlot told reporters.

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Gehlot urges health minister 

Ashok Gehlot had earlier asked Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to come and inspect the situation in Kota personally so that he can see the facilities in the hospital. "I telephoned Central Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Ji and requested him to visit Kota personally so that he can see the best of facilities and proper management by the state's Health Department and get himself apprised of the facts," said Gehlot. He also went on to say that if Dr Harsh Vardhan himself visited the hospital in Kota, it will "clarify" the situation for the people, who are giving reactions on the deaths mischievously, knowingly, unknowingly or even innocently. 

READ | CM Gehlot Urges Centre To Contribute To 'Nirogi Rajasthan' Amid 91 Infant Deaths In Kota

Condition of the hospital

Broken windows and gates, pigs roaming inside the hospital campus and acute shortage of staff were among the findings of the apex child rights body NCPCR during an inspection of JK Lone Hospital in Kota. The BJP, which has targeted the Congress government in Rajasthan over the infant deaths has also formed a committee comprising of four MPs to look into the matter. The panel comprising Lok Sabha MPs Jaskaur Meena, Locket Chatterjee and Bharati Pawar, and Rajya Sabha MP Kanta Kardam has been asked to submit its report within three days to the party's working president J P Nadda.

READ | Kota Infant Deaths: Broken Windows, Shortage Of Staff, Pigs In Hospital Campus Says NCPCR Report