India baby deaths: Second hospital probed

Indian police are investigating the deaths of dozens of newborns at a hospital in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh.

Forty-nine children died at Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in a month, including at least 30 who are said to have died from "perinatal asphyxia".

The condition is caused by reduced oxygen levels during childbirth.
In August at least 160 minors died at a Gorakhpur hospital, in the same state. Some of the deaths there were also allegedly caused by lack of oxygen.

But senior government officials have denied that this was the case in either hospital.

Forty-nine children died at Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in a month, including at least 30 who are said to have died from "perinatal asphyxia".

The condition is caused by reduced oxygen levels during childbirth.
In August at least 160 minors died at a Gorakhpur hospital, in the same state. Some of the deaths there were also allegedly caused by lack of oxygen.

But senior government officials have denied that this was the case in either hospital.

Initial reports suggested that the Farrukhabad hospital's oxygen supply had been cut by a private supplier over unpaid bills of more than 6m rupees ($93,465; £72,510).
Local media reports last week began to link some deaths at the hospital to the Gorakhpur deaths, prompting investigations.

Most of the Farrukhabad deaths happened at the hospital's newborn care unit between 21 July and 20 August, according to police.

They said the hospital "did not insert oxygen pipes [into infants' windpipes] after birth".
The region is one the poorest in India and records hundreds of deaths of children due to various diseases, including encephalitis, every year.