Team of experts to reach Kota on Friday: Health Minister

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday announced that a multidisciplinary expert team of top paediatricians is being sent to Rajasthan's Kota in wake of a spate of deaths of newborns.

"The high-level team being dispatched by @MoHFW_INDIA incl experts from AIIMS Jodhpur, Health Finance & Regional Director,Health Services Jaipur. It will reach #Kota tomorrow. In my letter too to @ashokgehlot51 ji, I've offered all possible assistance to prevent any further deaths," he said in a tweet.

Harsh Vardhan said that he spoke to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and "assured him of all possible support to prevent further deaths in #KotaTragedy matter. A multi-disciplinary expert team of incl top paediatricians is being sent by @MoHFW_INDIA for gap analysis & quick measures to be taken".

Earlier in the day, the Minister had said that rising number of children's deaths was a matter of grave concern. "Number of deaths (in Kota) is definitely higher this time as compared to the last few years," he added.

Over 100 children died in JK Lon hospital in Rajasthan's Kota district in the past one month. - IANS