Eleven infants died in a span of three months due to various complications arising out of ‘mainly weak immunity and malnutrition’, observed Women Development and Child Welfare Joint Director K.R.S. Laxmi Devi here on Thursday.
A day after the news of infant deaths in government-run home, Sishu Gruha shook Nalgonda, members from the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) visited the institute and noted that lack of right type of food, and diet advice by the doctors was one of the reasons that caused deaths.
However, the common reason for all other babies was low birth weight (about 1.6 kg and 1.8 kg) and absence of mother’s milk, as they all were ‘unwanted by their parents’, Ms. Laxmi Devi said.
The ages of the baby victims was found to be of less than two months and some were days old. Speaking to The Hindu Ms. Laxmi Devi said all the infants at the home were fed the same type of formula milk, irrespective of their requirement or health need.
“We do not know what food the doctors advised for the babies till now. The prescriptions do not show whether ‘Lactogen 1 or 2 or 3’. Information from bills paid indicate only one type of food,” she said.
“It was also found that since recent time ‘Pro Nan’ was being used as per the advice of Mrs. Gaurav Uppal (wife of the District Collector and a private paediatrician),” she added.
The I.C.D.S Project director at the district level, B. P. Pushpalatha also maintained “It was the full responsibility of the visiting doctors and the department of child health that did not suggest nutrition as per health risks.” A day earlier District Collector Gaurav Uppal, who visited the institute, said two committees were being set up to monitor growth and assess risks.
