Editorial: Death of Infants

The mind-numbing tragedies in Maharashtra hospitals are a reminder of the country’s pathetic healthcare system

The recent death of 59 children, most of them infants, in two Maharashtra government hospitals is a matter of national shame. The mind-numbing tragedies are a reminder of the country’s pathetic healthcare system. The deaths were reported from Shankarrao Chavan Hospital in Nanded and Ghati Hospital in Aurangabad within a span of 48 hours. There is widespread outrage over the fact that the deaths occurred due to a shortage of medicines and the unavailability of doctors. Just two months ago, there was an unfortunate incident where 18 people died in a single night in Kalwa Hospital of Thane Municipal Corporation. Such preventable tragedies have been occurring across the country with unfailing regularity but the authorities fail to learn any lessons. With the primary public healthcare system being almost defunct, the tertiary care centres too are acutely burdened and overstretched. The ground situation in not just Maharashtra but across the country reveals a litany of woes of poor patients and their families. They are forced to contend with unhygienic wards, lethargic staff, shortage of medicines, beds and other infrastructure needed to handle a large number of serious cases daily. The response to the Nanded tragedy — both administrative and political — has been on predictable lines. So has been the political slugfest that followed the deaths. While Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ordered a high-level inquiry and promised that the guilty would be punished, the opposition parties have alleged that the deaths occurred due to deliberate negligence. The Bombay High Court has rightly asked for details of the State’s allocation to health as well as details of the deaths. Disturbing reports have emerged of how the state public healthcare system is steeped in corruption while the equipment in the hospitals has become dysfunctional.

The findings of a high-level probe that was ordered into the Kalwa tragedy in August are still awaited. The death of infants should not be reduced to cold statistics in government records nor should they become fodder for political battles to score brownie points. It is unfortunate that the parties indulge in a blame game every time such a tragedy occurs, instead of finding solutions to the problems faced by the healthcare system. The corruption that has taken deep roots in the medical administration must be rooted out. With one of the worst indicators in the world, India’s healthcare sector needs urgent treatment. India’s healthcare spending, at just about 1% of the GDP, is one of the lowest in the world. Poor infrastructure and lack of adequate staff are among the major problems plaguing primary healthcare centres. The number of doctors, especially in rural areas, is abysmally low. There is an urgent need to address the problem of non-availability of healthcare professionals in rural areas. A proper diagnosis of the systemic problems and the subsequent course corrections are needed to stem the rot.