A DAY after it came to light that 24 patients died in a 24-hour period at a Government-run hospital in Maharashtra’s Nanded, the authorities on Tuesday confirmed that seven more deaths occurred at the same facility between October 1 and 2. The District Information Office (DIO) of Nanded, located around 280 km from here, confirmed this on a social media platform, which took the total count of the deceased patients in the hospital in 48 hours to 31. Earlier, 24 deaths were reported at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded in 24 hours between September 30 and October 1. Twelve of the 24 deceased were infants, a top Maharashtra health department official said on Monday. 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. Taking to microblogging site X on Tuesday morning, senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan said, “Deaths continue unabated at the hospital in Nanded. Seven more patients, including four children, died since yesterday (October 2) at the Government Medical College and Hospital.”

 

“The State Government should fix the responsibility,” the former Maharashtra Chief Minister demanded. In its official statement released on Monday, the Nanded District Collectorate said that between September 30 and October 1, a total of 24 deaths were reported at the hospital. “Among the 12 adults who lost their lives, five were male and seven female. Four adults had heart-related ailments, one was suffering from an unknown poisoning, one had a liver issue, two were kidney patients, and one case was of complications during pregnancy. There were three accident cases,” it said Among the deceased infants, fourwerebrought to the hospital at the last stage, the Collectorate statement said. Incidentally, in a 24- hourperiodbetweenAugust 12 and 13, a total of 18 patients had died in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital at Kalwa in Thane district, leading the Opposition to question the EknathShindeGovernment.

 

THERE WAS NO LACK OF MEDICINES, STAFF, SAYS CM SHINDE: MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said his Government had taken the deaths at a hospital in Nanded very seriously, and appropriate actionwouldbe takenaftera detailedinquiry whiledenyingthattherewere shortages of medicines and staff. Talking to reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting here, Shinde said adequate medicine stock and medical staffwereavailableatthehospital. Many of the deceased were old people with heart ailments, underweight infants or accident victims, he added. “The deaths are unfortunate. We have taken theincidentveryseriously.

 

An inquiryhasbeenorderedand action will be taken appropriately,” the Chief Minister said. Asked about the caste survey in Bihar and the Opposition's demand for a similar survey in Maharashtra, Shinde said, “Let’s see the results of the survey in Bihar, and if needed, it would be conducted here as well.” CONGRESS DEMANDS PROBE: THE Congress on Tuesday demanded a thorough investigation into deathsata Governmenthospital in Maharashtra and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence in the matter. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge raised questions about the State Government’ she alth system and sought the strictest punishment for the guilty