The sickness spreads

Sir — The B.C. Roy Memorial Hospital is back in focus with the death of 22 babies in less than three days (“BC Roy curse back”, Nov 5). The death toll has risen to 26 since then, and may rise even further. A similar episode of serial deaths occurred four years ago. While the chief minister has express his concern during his visit to the hospital, the state health minister, Surjya Kanta Mishra, who accompanied him, appeared unperturbed. An inquiry has been promised, and perhaps, in all fairness, one should not assume that the deaths were caused by negligence. As the medical superintendent of the hospital pointed out, the high death rate over the past few days may be entirely coincidental. Nevertheless, it is shocking that the only tertiary children’s hospital in the state does not have even basic medical equipment like pulse and heart rate monitors and ventilators. Even more deplorable is the fact that while the children die in the absence of life-saving apparatus, money donated by conscientious citizens lies unutilized.

The state government had ‘promised’ modernization of the hospital immediately after the deaths in 2002. The promise has not been kept. The government has remained indifferent to horrific stories of medical negligence in state-run medical institutions. The present health department has lost all credibility under the insensate leadership of Mishra. Flourishing business at the mushrooming private nursing homes across the state and the rush to other parts of the country for treatment are irrefutable evidence of the pitiable condition of healthcare in Bengal. Patients and their families want functioning government hospitals where they can confidently bring the ailing with the hope of taking them back home alive. Only a face-saving inquiry will not solve their problems.

Yours faithfully,
Kunal Saha, Columbus, US

Sir — Soon after the exposé of spurious blood test kits in government hospitals comes the news of the recurrent deaths in B.C. Roy hospital. State-run hospitals have all the manpower and the funds required to improve their facilities. But these institutions are riddled with corruption and they lack work ethics. It is time some heads rolled in the health ministry. Otherwise, poor patients who frequent the state hospitals would continue to suffer.

Yours faithfully,
A.S. Mehta, Calcutta

Sir — Parents from distant corners of the state bring their sick children to the B.C. Roy hospital with the hope of taking them back home cured of their ailment. But the inadequate infrastructure in the hospital, the lack of sufficient number of doctors, trained nurses and sophisticated medical equipment belies such hopes. In fact, one can hardly expect the medical staff to feel the agony of parents when they are used to watching an average casualty of 3 to 4 children every day. Is the government so poor that it cannot afford proper medical facilities in a referral hospital which receives the most critical cases? Why is the money donated by Sourav Ganguly for neonatal and paediatric intensive care units lying unused? In a state where ants can feast on a patient’s eyes and dogs have free access to the wards in government hospitals, there is very little hope for proper care. India claims to be a fast emerging economy, but development seems to favour only the rich. The resources dry up even before they reach the poor.

Yours faithfully,
Govind Das Dujari, Calcutta

Sir — It is not wise to blame the hospital authorities and hold the doctors responsible for the deaths of so many babies over the last three days. Often the infants are brought to the hospital in such a critical state that it is almost impossible for even the most able doctors to provide adequate treatment. But why do parents have to bring their infants over to Calcutta for treatment? The answer is clear — the lack of proper children’s hospitals and healthcare clinics in the districts. As a result of this, sick children in rural and suburban Bengal are often left to the mercy of quacks and untrained doctors who worsen their condition. So the prime concern of the government, apart from stopping the situation in B.C. Roy hospital from worsening, is to develop suitable medical infrastructure not only in Calcutta but also in the districts.

Yours faithfully,
Rahul Roy, Calcutta

In all unfairness

Sir — I was glad to read the front page report, “Fair or foul? Buddha junks Maidan promises for book business show” (Nov 3). It is sad to see the chief minister and the state government going back on their word of not holding fairs in the Maidan. The Maidan is the lungs of Calcutta. This is where all people, whether rich or poor, are able to relax. Fairs dirty the place and pollute the environment. Nowhere in the world — either at Hyde Park, London, or in Central Park, New York, or in Delhi — are fairs allowed in open places. Pragati Maidan in Delhi has been built to hold such fairs.

Surely, the state government can collaborate with an overseas party to build a site for organizing fairs, and thus avoid using the Maidan and spoiling the environment.

The chief minister is open-minded and wants change. But on this occasion, I do not see any change in his attitude, which is surprising. Let us hope that he and the government will take a wise decision.

Yours faithfully,
G.K. Bhagat, Calcutta