The Chief Medical Superintendent of Ballia District Hospital was removed after he linked the high number of deaths at the hospital to the ongoing heatwave in the region. However, the district magistrate stated that there is no “solid evidence” linking the two. At least 54 people have died at the hospital in the last three days, with different reasons being assigned for the deaths.
The district magistrate, Ravindra Kumar, mentioned that there is no solid evidence linking the deaths to the heatwave, despite reports on social media and newspapers. The government has also ensured that all necessary medicines and facilities are available at all hospitals in the district.
Two director-level officers have been sent by the state government to investigate the matter and provide a detailed report on the deaths. This action was taken after Dr. Diwakar Singh was removed as chief medical superintendent for making a careless statement about the deaths caused by the heatwave.
The new chief medical superintendent, Dr. SK Yadav, reported a sudden spike in deaths at the hospital due to various reasons, including heatstroke and other health issues aggravated by the extreme temperatures. Additional Health Director Dr. OP Tiwari also mentioned that the number of deaths has increased, especially among patients with blood pressure and diabetes.
The government has constituted a team to probe the deaths and is investigating the symptoms reported by the patients, as well as collecting water samples to check for any issues with the drinking water. They are also looking into whether the weather could be a contributing factor, as there have been no such complaints in nearby districts.
