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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday, October 5, ordered an inquiry into the death of an 18-month-old baby at a Sishu Gruha, a government-run childcare centre in Anantapur managed by the Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) department. The probe was ordered amid allegations of staff negligence and rushed final rites.
A woman from Kalyandurg handed over the baby to the WD&CW department’s Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on September 30 citing financial difficulties, according to officials.
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Project Director for Anantapur district M Nagamani told The Times of India that the baby was born underweight and had pre-existing health complications when his mother brought him in.
On October 2, the baby suffered diarrhea and was taken to the Government General Hospital, but was brought back to the Sishu Gruha where he died. The inquiry has been ordered amid allegations that some of the staff showed negligence in feeding the infant, and buried the body hastily without informing senior officials.
Shishu Gruha staff reportedly informed the district Collector and the ICDS Project Officer of the death via WhatsApp. The ICDS project officer issued memos to the manager and ayahs of the childcare centre.
Meanwhile, District Collector O Anand has formed a three-member inquiry committee, comprising District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr EB Devi, Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) Project Director M. Nagamani and Government General Hospital (GGH) Paediatric HOD.
The Collector said the committee has been asked to submit a comprehensive report.
In another incident, 85 girl students fell ill at a residential school at Kurupam in Parvathipuram Manyam district. The Chief Minister spoke to Minister for Women and Child Welfare and Tribal Welfare G Sandhya Rani about both incidents.
He ordered officials to conduct an investigation into both incidents and submit a report.
With IANS inputs