High Court of Chhattisgarh has directed Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Chhattisgarh to file his personal affidavit after a media report had claimed that more than 40,000 children aged 0-5 years had expired due to lack of paediatric services and malnutrition in hospitals in the five years in State. A Division Bench of the High Court, comprising of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Rajani Dubey heard suo moto public interest litigation after a media had claimed that in the last five years, more than 40,000 children aged 0-5 years have expired out of which more than 25,000 children could not survive even for 28 days which means that number of still-birth is above 24,000.

 

The average number of still birth is 4,000 per year and in between 2019-2023, more than 3,000 pregnant women had expired. These figures are not being released in public domain. The cause of death of the infants is because of anemia malnutrition and lack of system to take care of the newborns. A photograph of the government hospital at Durg has also been published in which five newborn babies have been kept in a single warmer whereas, according to the expert each newborn should be kept in a separate warmer. The aforesaid news report also goes to suggest that there is lack of beds and ventilators in the government hospitals which is half of the requirement. The news report depicted an alarming situation with respect to neonatal care in State. Advocate General Prafull N Bharat appeared for the State in the case. The next hearing of the case will be held on May 8.