Govt to seek explanation from Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences over death of 169 infants in 10 months

A file photo of a newborn baby. District in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi said that he would ask the doctors to provide an explanation in the zilla panchayat meeting in Belagavi on November 11, 2024. 
| Photo Credit: Photo for representation only

The government of Karnataka will seek an explanation from the authorities about the death of infants in the Belagavi district teaching hospital attached to the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS).

As many as 169 infants were stillborn or died soon after birth in the hospital in the last 10 months. Of them, around 41 died in the last few months. Around 125 of the 169 were born in the BIMS hospital while the rest were born elsewhere but died in the hospital.

Doctors have told the district administration that 28 babies died of various infections, 36 due to problems related to breathing, six due to heart and other ailments, six due to ingestion of fecal matter, 11 for miscellaneous reasons and 79 were premature.

Ashok Shetty, hospital director, said that some of the deaths were beyond the control of doctors. He has denied reports that oxygen supply in the hospital was disrupted. The hospital has its own oxygen production unit that was put up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar has written to the Department of Medical Education seeking a report. “I will personally inquire with the senior officers and initiate measures to correct the mistakes,” she said. She said that the government of Karnataka would provide infrastructural support to the hospital to prevent such incidents in the future.

District in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi said that he would ask the doctors to provide an explanation in the zilla panchayat meeting in Belagavi on November 11. The State Government would order an inquiry and initiate action against the doctors and officers if wilful negligence was found. He also said that the government would review the functioning of the hospital and fill any vacancies of doctors and specialists.