DHAKA: 61 infants have died at a children's hospital in Cuttack in Odisha in just two weeks, sparking protests and forcing the state government of Naveen Patnaik to launch an investigation.

A criminal probe was underway into the conduct of three staff at the Shishu Bhawan or Children's Home in Cuttack, state health minister Atanu S Nayak said on Wednesday, NDTV reported.

Five workers have been suspended, said the state health minister.

"A preliminary inquiry found (the staff) had neglected their duty that contributed to the deaths," Health Minister Nayak said, without elaborating on the causes of death. Doctors at the hospital blamed the deaths on overstretched facilities, not negligence.

The opposition, including the BJP, staged protests outside several government hospitals across Odisha. "Infants have died but the Chief Minister has yet to visit the hospital," said Samir Mohanty, one of the BJP protesters.

The deaths highlight the challenges faced in an underfunded public health system beleaguered by an acute shortage of staff and clinics.

Niranjan Mohanty, a senior official at the hospital, said it was overburdened, admitting up to 50 critically ill children and treating up to 500 outpatients daily.

BDST: 1310 HRS, SEP 03, 2015
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