Dr Kafeel Khan made a ‘scapegoat’ by UP govt, say AIIMS doctors

coastaldigest.com web desk
August 14, 2017

Gorakhpur, Aug 14:  Dr Kafeel Khan, a paediatrician who saved lives of countless children at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, where more 70 children died last week, has been made a the "scapegoat" by the government, according to doctors at Delhi’s AIIMS.

Dr Khan, who was head of paediatrics and the children's encephalitis wards at the hospital, was removed on Sunday amidst the visit of chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s visit to the hospital.

Parents of children admitted to the hospital said that had it not been for Dr Khan, the number of fatalities could have been far higher. Dr Khan borrowed three oxygen cylinders from other nursing homes when the oxygen supply at BRD Hospital and even withdrew Rs 10,000 from his personal account to purchase 17 oxygen cylinders in order to save as many infants as possible.

"Doctors are being made scapegoats," said Dr. Harjit Singh Bhatti, who heads an association of resident doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences or AIIMS. The association has written a letter condemning Dr Kafeel Khan's sacking, accusing the state government of "gross neglect of public health." By blaming doctors for the death of the children, the association said, "politicians are hiding their incompetency," and asked, "Who is responsible if oxygen, gloves, equipment not available?"

Last Thursday, at the BRD Medical College and Hospital, Gorakhpur's largest hospital filled with premature newborns and children suffering from encephalitis which plagues the area, the supply of liquid oxygen dipped to a critical low. 23 children died at the hospital that day and parents and others have blamed the oxygen shortage for some of the deaths.

Amid calls from opposition parties for his resignation, UP CM has promised "standard setting punishment" for those found guilty of negligence in an investigation into the large number of child deaths at the hospital, as his government denies emphatically that the shortage of oxygen led to deaths.

The hospital maintains that there was a shortage of oxygen only for about two hours on Thursday, after the hospital's regular vendor stopped supply over non-payment of bills, but that liquid oxygen was soon sourced from other places.

The head of the hospital Dr Rajeev Mishra was suspended on Saturday, while Dr Kafeel Khan, on whose watch oxygen supply dipped to a critical low at the hospital on Thursday, was removed yesterday.  Government sources said he was sacked for failing to take action on a letter that was written on Thursdaymorning by those in charge of the hospital's oxygen supply, warning that that there was only enough to last till the evening and asking for emergency supplies.

"We are not saying that the doctor can't be responsible, but he's not the only one responsible. We want a proper enquiry, government officials are also involved and even they should be held accountable. Not just a single doctor," said Dr Bhatti of AIIMS, who emphasised that hospitals lack infrastructure and basic facilities.

Adityanath said yesterday that he was at the hospital in Gorakhpur, his parliamentary constituency for almost 20 years, just a day before supply was disrupted, but no one informed him that there was a crisis. "I was here on the 9th and I categorically asked about encephalitis but no one informed me. We made payment (to the oxygen vendor) on August 7. Why didn't the hospital administration make the payment?" he said.

The state government says that while it has released funds to hospital to settle the oxygen vendor's dues, his bills were not paid by the hospital administration till Friday, August 11. Dr Rajeev Mishra, who resigned after he was suspended, has blamed red tape.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been regularly briefed, the Centre has turned down demands for a separate investigation.  

Union Health Minister JP Nadda announced that an 85-crore regional medical centre would be set up in Gorakhpur for research on diseases that afflict children.

Also Read: 

Meet Dr Kafeel Khan who saved countless children amidst tragedy in UP hospital

Dr Kafeel Khan who saved hundreds of infants sacked amid Yogi’s visit

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News Network
November 15,2024

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Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has killed or captured 69 terrorists linked to the Israeli spy agency Mossad during a major counterterrorism drill in the country's southeast, its spokesman says.  

General Ahmad Shafaei, the spokesman for the “Martyrs of Security” drill, said Friday that a total of 23 terrorists have been killed and another 46 arrested in various clean-up operations ever since the IRGC Ground Force launched it in the Sistan and Baluchestan province on November 1.

Seven terrorists have also turned themselves in during the period.

“The undeniable fact about terrorists is that they rely on arrogant powers, particularly the intelligence service of the wicked and vicious Zionist regime," Shafaei said.

“Unfortunately, weapons and munitions at terrorists’ disposal are among the most sophisticated ones in the world. This accounts for their heavy dependence.” 

The official stated that several members of the disbanded terror teams were non-Iranian nationals, who had been hired by foreign intelligence agencies to carry out acts of sabotage and terror inside Iran.

In a most recent operation, six terrorists were arrested and four others were eliminated, three of whom were non-Iranians, he added. 

On October 26, ten members of Iran's law enforcement forces were killed in a terrorist attack in the Gohar Kuh district of Taftan in the Sistan and Baluchestan province.

The so-called Jaish al-Adl terrorist group claimed responsibility for the assault, which was one of the deadliest in the province in recent months.

The group has carried out numerous terrorist attacks in Iran, primarily in Sistan and Baluchestan.

Its tactics include the abduction of border guards as well as targeting civilians and police stations within the province to incite chaos and disorder.

In January, Iran launched a military operation during which the headquarters of the Pakistan-based terrorist group was targeted in missile strikes, destroying its infrastructure.

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News Network
November 11,2024

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Udupi, Nov 11: The Karkala town police in Udupi have arrested Krishna Naik, the sculptor responsible for installing a 33-foot Parashurama statue at Umikkal Hill in Bailur, Karkala taluk. 

Naik, the owner of Krish Art World and a resident of Bengaluru's Visvesvaraya Layout, was apprehended in Mahe, part of the Union Territory of Puducherry, for allegedly substituting a look-alike statue in place of a genuine bronze figure at the Parashurama Theme Park in Karkala.

Udupi Superintendent of Police Dr. Arun K confirmed the arrest, stating that Naik faces charges under Sections 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code. 

This legal action followed a complaint lodged in June by Krishna Shetty, a resident of Nallur village, Karkala. Shetty claimed that Naik had received a payment of ₹1,25,50,000 from Udupi Nirmithi Kendra for the installation of a bronze Parashurama statue. However, Naik allegedly deceived the government by installing a replica instead.

The statue was unveiled on January 27, 2023, by then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Current Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has since ordered a CID investigation to probe deeper into the alleged fraud surrounding the statue's installation at the theme park.

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News Network
November 22,2024

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Bengaluru, Nov 22: For the second day running, the Karnataka BJP on Friday staged a statewide protest condemning the government’s alleged move to notify land of farmers as Waqf property.

The BJP staged a protest before the offices of Deputy Commissioners at district headquarters.

The BJP leaders are vehemently demanding that the state government cancel a 1974 Gazette notification in this regard.

The agitators are also demanding scrapping of the Waqf Board and the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister for Waqf and Housing Zameer Ahmad Khan.

The BJP MLAs, MLCs, MPs gathered in the premises of Freedom Park and staged a protest under the leadership of Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and slammed the state government.

MLA T.S. Srivatsa led the protest in Mysuru and hundreds of party workers and farmers staged the protest under the leadership of former MP Pratap Simha in Kodagu.

Former MP Sumalatha Ambareesh led the agitation in Mandya.

This was the first time that Sumalatha took part in the party’s programme after the Lok Sabha elections.

State President B.Y. Vijayendra claimed, “The Congress government in Karnataka is issuing notices to farmers claiming the ownership of their lands to the Waqf Board and pushing them on the streets overnight.”

In the first week of December, three teams formed by the BJP will travel across the state and record the grievances of farmers.

“The state government is attempting to snatch away the lands belonging to temples as well,” Vijayendra alleged and added that the teams would comprise all senior leaders of the BJP.

Meanwhile, the police have taken Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik into custody while staging a protest march to the office of Zameer Ahmad Khan in Bengaluru.

Muthalik along with Hindutva activists was planning to lay siege to Zameer’s office over the Waqf row.

The police stopped Muthalik and requested him to submit the memorandum by reaching the minister’s office in a vehicle. However, Muthalik refused to go with the police and continued his footmarch. The police took him into custody following arguments.

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