HYDERABAD: A infant baby girl passed away in the state run children’s home, Shishu Vihar in Hyderabad on Saturday. This is the second death at the home in a week’s time. Officials suggest the baby was suffering from pneumonia and had been admitted to the Niloufer Hospital for further treatment.
The baby was shifted to the home in October from Karimnagar. As per her case history, she was born to a minor girl in Karimnagar district and was weak since her birth. “She had multiple birth defects and issues since her birth and had not kept well. We continuously monitored her situation, however she got pneumonia and passed away,” noted K Lakshmi, Joint Director, Women Development and Child Welfare Department.
Meanwhile, it has been a worrying trend for the home as it is the second such death in one week. On Wednesday another 5-month-old baby had fallen sick to diarrhoea and passed away in the Niloufer hospital. Saturday’s death would be the 4th such death at the home in the past year, however the number has been much lower than last year when 20 had died.
However activists have been on the war-footing demanding a full fledged primary health centre in the home’s complex.“There is no continuous monitoring on the children’s health and they are taken to hospital at the last minute. The authorities must bring in a basic health facility inside the campus,” noted Achyuta Rao of Balala Hakkula Sangham.