Paediatric ARI clinics must operate in Kolkata medical colleges, hospitals: CM Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held an emergency meeting on the death of 5 children in the state due to acute respiratory infection. She issued a series of directives that stated that all paediatric acute respiratory infection (ARI) clinics will operate at the medical college and hospitals (MCHs), district hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals, and announced a 24×7 emergency helpline — 1800-313444-222.

An official confirmed on Tuesday, that five children died due to respiratory infections at different hospitals in Kolkata in the last 24 hours. After this, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held an emergency meeting on the evolving situation, following which the government issued a series of directives and announced a 24×7 emergency helpline — 1800-313444-222.

The directives stated that all paediatric acute respiratory infection (ARI) clinics will operate at the medical college and hospitals (MCHs), district hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals, among others, round the clock, as reported by The Print.

To curb the problem of patient referrals, it said that “no paediatric ARI cases shall be referred without the knowledge of the concerned MSVP/Superintendent of the hospital”.

The hospitals are advised to ready ventilators and other logistics to deal with the situation.

ASHA workers and other health workers will be sensitised on the alert signs of such infections, it said, stressing raising awareness about the use of masks, and protection of children from crowds and public places.

“Regular training on critical care of paediatric ARI cases will be organised by authorities concerned,” the directive said.

Kolkata's children died due to acute respiratory infection

“All the five children died due to pneumonia. We are still waiting for the test report on a nine-month-old to confirm whether she died due to adenovirus,” said an official.

Of the five children, two were undergoing treatment at the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, while three others were being treated at the Dr BC Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Sciences. Over the last weekend five more such deaths were reported in the state, added the official.

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