Maharashtra hospital deaths: Congress demands probe, slams state health apparatus

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday demanded a thorough investigation into 31 deaths at a government hospital in Maharashtra's Nanded and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence in the matter.

Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge raised questions about the state government's health system and sought the strictest punishment for the guilty.

A top Maharashtra health official had on Monday told the press that 24 people, including 12 infants, had died between September 30 and October 1 at a government hospital in Nanded.

The toll rose to 31 on Tuesday with seven more people dying at the same hospital in the last 24 hours.

In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge expressed his concern over the deaths.

"It is said that these patients died due to lack of medicines and treatment. A similar incident took place in a government hospital in Thane in August 2023 in which 18 patients lost their lives," Kharge said.

महाराष्ट्र के नांदेड़ में एक सिविल अस्पताल में 12 शिशुओं समेत, 24 मरीज़ों की मृत्यु की खबर बेहद पीड़ादायक, गंभीर व चिंताजनक है।



कहा जा रहा है कि इन मरीज़ों ने दवाइयों व इलाज की कमी से दम तोड़ दिया। ऐसी ही घटना अगस्त 2023 में ठाणे के एक सरकारी अस्पताल में हुई जिसमें 18 मरीज़ों…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 3, 2023

"Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Such incidents taking place repeatedly have raised a question mark on the health system of the state government," the Congress chief said, hitting out at the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra.

"We demand a thorough investigation so that the culprits of this negligence are given strict punishment by the judiciary," he said.

Former party chief Rahul Gandhi Monday night alleged why there was no money for children's medicines when the BJP government spends crores of rupees on publicity.

Congress General Secretary Communications Jairam Ramesh said 31 patients, of whom 16 were either infants or children, died "Yet the Prime Minister is completely silent." "Just a few weeks ago, a similar horrific tragedy had taken place in a hospital in Thane district. The MH state government has a surplus of CMs with one CM, two CMs in-waiting and others awaiting," he said in a post on X.

31 patients of whom 16 were either infants or children have sadly died in a government hospital in Nanded in Maharashtra. Yet the Prime Minister is completely silent.



Just a few weeks ago, a similar horrific tragedy had taken place in a hospital in Thane district. The MH state…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 3, 2023

"But there is zero accountability in this illegal government for which the PM and the HM — who engineered the entire operation — must be held responsible," Ramesh said.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in a post on X on Monday demanded strict action against those responsible for the inordinate number of deaths and compensation for the affected families.

"May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families.

"Strict action should be taken against those responsible and compensation should be given to the affected families," she said.

दवाओं की कमी के चलते महाराष्ट्र में 12 शिशुओं समेत 24 मरीजों की मौत का दुखद समाचार प्राप्त हुआ।



ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्माओं को शांति प्रदान करें। शोक-संतप्त परिवारों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं।



जिम्मेदार लोगों पर सख्त कार्रवाई हो और पीड़ित परिवारों को मुआवजा दिया जाये।

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) October 2, 2023

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi expressed his grief at the news of the deaths and offered his condolences to the bereaved families.

"The BJP government spends thousands of crores of rupees on its publicity, but there is no money for medicines for children? In the eyes of the BJP, the lives of the poor have no value," he alleged.

नांदेड़, महाराष्ट्र के सरकारी अस्पताल में दवाइयों की कमी से 12 नवजात शिशुओं समेत 24 लोगों की मृत्यु का समाचार अत्यंत दुखद है। सभी शोकाकुल परिवारों को अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं।



भाजपा सरकार हज़ारों करोड़ रुपए अपने प्रचार पर खर्च कर देती है, मगर बच्चों की दवाइयों के लिए…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 2, 2023

In a social media post, the Nanded DIO said, "The facts related to the death of patients at Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital is as follows: 24 deaths between September 30 and October 1; seven deaths between October 1 and 2." "Please do not panic. A team of doctors is ready," it added.