3rd Feb, 2012, Kolkata: In the last two days, 19 babies died in Malda and Bankura districts of West Bengal. On Friday, officials told that nine babies died at the Malda Medical College and ten died at the Bankura Sammilani Medical College. Dr. P. Kundu, the Superintendent of Bankura Sammilani Medical College told that four babies died on Wednesday, whereas six died on Thursday. He also added that the deaths occurred because of pneumonia, low birth weight and meningitis.
Dr. M. A. Rashid, the vice-principal of Malda hospital stated that out of the nine babies, seven of them were fifteen years old. With these deaths, the toll of deaths came up to 125 in last sixteen days. Experts from Sick Newborn Care Units would visit the hospital to see the infrastructure here.
The state has been seeing a greater number of infant deaths in government hospitals, in recent times. Previously, Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, attributed the deaths to malnutrition.
