Nanded hospital death toll reaches 31, including 16 infants; Maharashtra cabinet call for meet.

The death toll at Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College Hospital in Maharashtra's Nanded district has surged to 31, a grim escalation from the previous count of 24 reported on Monday.

In response to this heart-wrenching situation, the Maharashtra government has swiftly taken action. Officials have announced the convening of a cabinet meeting to deliberate on the tragic deaths of 31 patients, including 16 infants, at the government hospital in Nanded. Furthermore, the government has initiated the formation of an inquiry committee to thoroughly investigate the distressing incident.

The distressing spike in the death toll at Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College Hospital from 24 to 31 has sparked heightened concern and calls for immediate action.

An official source revealed, "Maharashtra cabinet is to discuss the Nanded Hospital deaths in a meeting today. Cabinet may decide on forming an inquiry committee over the incident," speaking to news agency ANI.

The unfortunate sequence of events unfolded with 24 deaths, including 12 infants, occurring between September 30 and October 1 at the government hospital in Nanded. These tragic losses have been attributed to a combination of inadequate facilities, staffing shortages, and a shortage of essential medicines, as confirmed by officials.

Dr. Dilip Mhaisekar, the director of medical education and research in Maharashtra, conveyed the distressing information, stating, "In 24 hours, 24 deaths have been reported at Nanded Government Hospital and Medical College (GMCH). Out of these 24 patients, 12 were infants who were referred here by some local private hospitals."

However, Shyamrao Wakode, the dean of the college, has vehemently denied allegations of negligence, asserting that the deceased patients were suffering from various ailments, including diabetes, liver failure, and kidney failure.

The tragic deaths have not only prompted grief and outrage but also triggered a significant political controversy. Opposition leaders, including Sharad Pawar, Rahul Gandhi, Supriya Sule, and Priyanka Chaturvedi, have criticized the government and raised questions about the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this matter.

Sharad Pawar, of the Nationalist Congress Party, expressed his shock on social media, stating, "The unfortunate incident of death of 24 people including 12 newborns in 24 hours in a government hospital in Nanded is literally shocking."

Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition, has called for a thorough investigation into the state government's health infrastructure. He emphasized, "We demand a thorough investigation so that the culprits of this negligence are given strict punishment by the judiciary."

Former chief minister and local Congress MLA Ashok Chavan visited the Nanded government hospital to assess the situation and voiced his concerns about the dire conditions, citing inadequate staff and a shortage of medicines as contributing factors. He also indicated that the death toll could potentially rise, as approximately 70 patients were in serious condition, with some being referred to private hospitals for treatment.