GUNTUR: Following the death of a 10-day-old boy at the Government General Hospital, Guntur on Wednesday, around 100 rats were caught at the hospital on Thursday.
In 2014, 1,200 rats had been caught by rat-catchers at the GGH but no such measures had been taken this year, which led to an increase in the number of the rodents that ultimately resulted in the infant’s death.
GGH superintendent Dr T. Venugopala Rao said that rat-catchers had been commissioned to clear the rats. He added that all burrows would be closed and mosquito/insect nets would be installed at all windows and all holes in the wards would be closed with concrete.
Meanwhile, a case has been registered under 304 IPC (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) in the case.
Kothapeta PS circle inspector K. Venkanna Chowdary said that action will be taken against those found guilty on the basis of the post-mortem report.
The government suspended the hospital’s resident medical officer Dr A. Srinivasulu and sanitary inspector S. Srinivasa Rao.
It has also cancelled the sanitation contract and ordered magisterial, departmental and police inquiries.
The doctors asserted on the need for upgrading all basic amenities including hygiene practices on the GGH premises to eliminate dogs, rats and bandicoots.
Parents of the infant Chavali Nagaraju and Ms Lakshmi returned to Vijayawada on Thursday to perform the last rites of the baby after completion of the autopsy.
GGH doctors and police said that it would take at least two weeks to get the post-mortem report.
