Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma urges BJP to not politicise Kota infant deaths

Soon after the Rajasthan government's 3-member panel gave a clean chit to the Jay Kay Lon Hospital for atleast 105 infant deaths since December, state's Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Sunday said that each person should be held account and urged BJP to not politicise the issue. Earlier, Sharma had also visited the hospital and held a meeting with the authorities and stated that no one will be spared for the 104 infant deaths. 

'Each person should be held accountable'

Raghu Sharma on Sunday said, "Each person should be held accountable. I request them (BJP) to not do politics over it. Around 2 lakh doctors are needed for children in the country." The Health Minister had visited the hospital earlier on Friday along with State Transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas. Sharma had then said, "We know that Kota Hospital has no lack of funds - 6 crores. We told the hospital authorities that if there were faulty equipment they could have replaced it. It is the responsibilities of these authorities - we asked them how they could let this happen?"

READ | Kota Infant Deaths: Gehlot's Health Min Now Slams Hospital, Says 'none Will Be Spared'

Dy CM Sachin Pilot: 'We must take responsibility'

Earlier on Saturday, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, while visiting the JK Lon Hospital in Kota where 107 infants have died stated that one must take responsibility for the tragedy. Contradicting CM Ashok Gehlot who has made several insensitive comments like - 'infant deaths common', Pilot said that the government's approach should have been more compassionate. Moreover, differing from Health minister Raghu Das' stance that the previous government had created lapses, he said that he pointed out that the Congress govt had been in power for the past 13 months and hence should not shift blame.

READ | CM Gehlot Evades Questions After Dy CM Pilot Takes Responsibility For Kota Infant Deaths

Lack of staff, Lack of oxygen

Earlier on Tuesday, the three-member committee comprising Dr Amarjeet Mehta, Dr Rambabu Sharma, and Dr Sunil Bhatnagar cleared the hospital saying that the hospital was short of beds, functioning at 150 percent of its capacity. Apart from these, NCPCR report has revealed broken windows and gates, pigs roaming inside the hospital campus and acute shortage of staff.

Moreover, the majority of the nursing staff's services are being terminated as they are contractual employees and that crucial time has been wasted in getting the necessary oxygen supply to the infants. There is also lack of incubators and oxygen cylinders in the hospital.

READ | Rajasthan: After Kota, 146 Infants Die In Jodhpur Hospital In December

READ | Kota Infant Deaths: Congress' Pramod Tiwari Says Rajasthan Govt Doing Its 'best'