Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Saturday expressed anguish over the death of over 60 children at Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur.


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While admitting that tackling Encephalitis is a challenge for his government, the Chief Minister said, “Eastern UP has been bearing the brunt of Encephalitis since 1978,” adding that open defecation and dirty surroundings are the main reasons for the disease to thrive.


Notably, Encephalitis claims the lives of hundreds of children every year in the state.


Meanwhile, following the deaths of over 60 children at BRD Medical College, the Uttar Pradesh government suspended the college principal with immediate effect for negligent behaviour.


Addressing a press conference, Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon said a high-level investigation, headed by Principal Secretary, has been ordered and the state government will take appropriate action after probe report is submitted.


Gorakhpur district magistrate Rajeev Rautela had on Friday said that at least 30 children had died in the Medical College within 48 hours.


However, state Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh had said according to reports from the paediatric department of the college, 60 children had died due to various diseases since August 7.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi is constantly monitoring the situation in Gorakhpur. He is in constant touch with authorities from the Central and state governments.


Union Health Minister JP Nadda has asked Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel and Health Secretary CK Mishra to visit Gorakhpur to look into the deaths of children in a hospital in the eastern UP town.


Nadda has sought a report from the state health department into the matter. An expert team will also be leaving for Gorakhpur on Saturday.


The opposition tore into the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, seeking the scalps of the state Health and Medical Education Ministers for the deaths of over 60 children.