Kolkata: As one more hospital is added
on Saturday to the list of hospitals where infant deaths occurred in
West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress-led government claimed
there had been a three per cent drop in child mortality ever
since it took over eight months ago.
``There has been a three per cent drop in the child
mortality rate in the last eight months in the state when the
new government took over,`` minister of state for health
Chandrima Bhattacharya told reporters on the sidelines of a
function in the Medical College and Hospital here.
Quoting data of the Union Health Ministry, she said
that West Bengal now ranked 15th in child mortality rate all
over the country.
The minister said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
had already dubbed the recent hue and cry over infant deaths
as a `drama`.
She said that efforts had been made by the state
government to activate all sick neo-natal care units in state
hospitals.
``We fail to realise as to why the sick neo-natal care
units were not made functional by the previous Left Front
government,`` Bhattacharya said.
Nine babies died today in the state-run Behrampore
Hospital in Murshidabad district since last night.
In the Malda Sadar Hospital 110 infant deaths took
place between January one and January 27.
PTI
