Doctors go on mass leave in UP's Farrukhabad after infant deaths

Upset over charges brought against senior doctors of a state-run hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Farrukhabad, where 49 infants died within a month, all government doctors in the district went on mass leave from Tuesday.

An FIR was lodged on Monday against the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) and a senior child specialist of the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) district hospital following Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's directive.

Office bearers of the medical associations in the state informed that they have decided to be on leave till September 7, but added that emergency and post-mortem services would not be disturbed.

The Provincial Medical Services (PMS) Association has urged the state government to form a technical team to evaluate the deaths of infants.

A non-technical team has been probing the deaths of 30 infants in the neonatal critical care unit and 19 in the delivery room between July 20 and August 21, due to poor treatment, lack of attention and paucity of oxygen.

Accusing the state government of acting in haste and under pressure, the doctors have warned that the victimisation of innocent doctors must be stopped immediately.

In a memorandum sent to Principal Secretary (Health) Prashant Trivedi, the PMS doctors have also demanded that the FIRs against the three doctors be immediately withdrawn.

President of the district PMS Association Ashok Yadav and General Secretary Amit Singh have pointed out that only critically ill patients are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and doctors work hard to save their lives with "limited resources and man power".

The also spoke to Health Minister Siddhartha Nath Singh.

On Tuesday, Joint Director Medical Health Karan Singh reached Farrukhabad and started the probe ordered by the state government.

The government on Monday had also transferred three officials of the district including the District Magistrate.