Gorakhpur tragedy: One more child dies of encephalitis in BRD hospital, death toll now 72

Gorakhpur: One more child died in Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur on Thursday, apparently due to encephalitis, raising to 72 the number of deaths in the hospital since 7 August. [caption id=“attachment_3940381” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  More than 72 neo-natal babies were killed in Gorakhpur due to insufficient oxygen cylinders. PTI[/caption] The child was admitted in the encephalitis ward of the medical college. According to the office of additional director health and family welfare, “One child died on Thursday in the encephalitis ward. As many as 15 fresh cases were admitted in the encephalitis ward today.” Till Wednesday, the death toll in the hospital since 7 August was 71. Six encephalitis-related deaths were reported between 12 August and 14 August, while five encephalitis-related deaths were reported from 15 August to 16 August. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh had said that 60 children died due to various diseases since 7 August. Meanwhile, a delegation led by CPM politburo member Subhashini Ali reached Gorakhpur and met parents of five-year-old Khushi (of Bichhia village) who died on 11 August. “The delegation demanded that family members of children who died due to negligence be given compensation, increase in health budget, and improvement in PHCs and CHCs, a judicial probe in the entire matter, and appropriate punishment for the guilty officials,” the statement said.