- No more crying in the middle of the night
- No more playing in the middle of the street
- No more mischief in the class
- No more tantrums in the house
- No more exams to pass
- No more dreams to chase
How can they, when the children are no more?
Not one, not two, 13 children died yesterday, 309 died in August alone, 1269 this year and all in the BRD government medical college, Gorakhpur, Uttarpradesh.
This is not just because of a doctors negligence or an equipment failure or a random incident of negligence but a deliberate failure of an entire system. A system that was meant to diagnose, treat and cure, was left to decay so much that the rot just became toxic claiming innocent lives.
The CAG report published in August 2017 for the period beginning from 2011 ending 2016 March, exposes the rotten system of the BRD medical college. From failing to treat cancer patients to failing to conduct prenetal diagnosis to misusing funds to shortage of medical equipments – the medical college broke rule of law and violated the moral code of conduct.
Excerpts from the CAG report
✓ the GMCs failed to provide adequate treatment to cancer/heart patients as equipment such as Cobalt Teletherapy, Brachytherapy unit, Left Ventricular Assist Device, etc. were not being operated in hospitals due to lack of doctors/technical personnel/infrastructure.
✓ The GMCs did not execute Annual Maintenance Contract for equipment. As a result, the machines were not functional and tests for cervix cancer, foetal monitoring, prenatal diagnosis, bio-chemical and hormonal tests etc. could not be conducted.
✓ GMCs did not procure clinical and teaching equipment though adequate funds were provided by the Government, resulting in shortages of equipment
✓ The GMCs failed to provide adequate treatment to cancer/heart patients as equipment such as Cobalt Teletherapy, Brachytherapy unit, Left Ventricular Assist Device, etc. were not being operated in hospitals due to lack of doctors/technical personnel/infrastructure.
✓ The GMCs did not execute Annual Maintenance Contract for equipment. As a result, the machines were not functional and tests for cervix cancer, foetal monitoring, prenatal diagnosis, bio-chemical and hormonal tests etc. could not be conducted.
✓ GMCs violated the provisions of General Financial Rules while procuring equipment by extending undue favour to suppliers and purchasing equipment at a higher rate
✓ Financial management of the GMCs was not adequate as there were instances of retention funds for long periods in PLA, diversion of funds, etc
So what’s next?
I’m sure the CAG report will have no affected on the administration because if a child’s death didn’t, then what’s a report? And neither did it have any affect on the media, because the deaths continue to happen but not the coverage and further questioning. This leaves, us i.e you and me. So let’s begin with questioning the authorities
- File an RTI with the BRD medical college to understand what steps they have taken for cours e correction. And if they haven’t, then when would they?
- Call the MLA’s and the MP’s and put pressure on them to not just fix the current problems but to elevate the standards of healthcare
If we don’t think we can do this, then just remember the faces of the kids who died or should we say, we let them die