Mumbai News: Three Children Die In JJ Hospital’s PICU Within 24 Hours; One Dengue Fatality Confirmed

Mumbai: Even as resident doctors at JJ Hospital’s paediatrics department continue their protest against the department head, a fresh crisis has gripped the hospital with three children dying within 24 hours in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The incident has triggered alarm, particularly since the PICU usually records no more than one death per day.

First Dengue Death of Monsoon Reported

Among the three deceased, a seven-year-old boy's death has been linked to multiple complications, one of which was dengue marking the first dengue-related fatality of the monsoon season. The other two deceased were 11-year-old children. One succumbed to septic shock and other complications, while the other died due to cardio-respiratory arrest and tuberculosis, according to hospital sources.

Deaths Come Amid Departmental Turmoil

The latest incident comes amid an ongoing dispute between the department’s resident doctors and the head of paediatrics, which began on July 16 after a female resident doctor allegedly attempted suicide. The conflict had already brought the department under scrutiny, and now the back-to-back deaths have intensified concerns over management and patient care within the PICU.

Dean Confirms Deaths, Defends Staff

Here is the updated brief with the dean’s statement included: Dr Ajay Bhandarwar, Dean of JJ Hospital, confirmed the deaths and said all three were critical patients on ventilator support and had been referred from other hospitals. He also confirmed that one of the children died due to dengue the first such fatality of the monsoon season. The incident comes amid an ongoing row between resident doctors and the paediatrics department head following a resident doctor’s alleged suicide attempt last month.