BJP MLA demands inquiry after 80 infant deaths at Seoni district hospital
At least 80 newborns have died at a government hospital in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, over the past six months, prompting a BJP legislator to call for a probe.
Over the last half-year, a government hospital in Seoni district, Madhya Pradesh, recorded at least 80 newborn deaths, with 34 occurring from April to June and 46 from July to September, officials said. Hospital staff linked the fatalities mainly to premature deliveries and infants weighing less than 2.5 kg. BJP legislator Dinesh Rai Munmun visited the site after receiving reports, claiming that staff tried to prevent his entry, that no doctor was on duty at night, and that nurses lacked training to operate the pediatric ventilator.
He demanded a formal investigation and audit. Civil surgeon Vinod Kumar Navkar explained that the unit receives critically ill babies from rural areas, some as early as six months gestation, and noted that the hospital’s neonatal mortality rate is lower than other districts in the Jabalpur division, a point the MLA contested. The dispute centers on whether the recorded deaths fully reflect the situation, given referrals to other facilities.
Why it matters
High infant mortality raises concerns about neonatal care quality and accountability in public hospitals.
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