Bhubaneswar, Sep 18: Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister N K Das on Sunday sought a report from the Keonjhar district administration on the death of 13 children in a span of 18 days due to alleged negligence at the pediatric ward of a state run hospital in the mineral rich district.

The minister's action came after a large number of people at the Keonjhar district headquarters hospital staged an agitation demanding action against doctors whose alleged negligence led to the death of children. Video: Doctors Treat Patients Under Mobile Torch Light in Uttar Pradesh Hospital After Prolonged Power Cut

"This is an unfortunate incident. We must ascertain cause of the children's death. I have asked the Keonjhar district authorities to find out the reason behind the incident," the minister told reporters.

The relatives of the deceased children alleged that the doctor did not visit the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the hospital on Saturday night where critical patients were being treated. This led to death of children. Bihar Shocker: Man Captures, Carries Snake That Bit Him to Hospital To Show to Doctors in Biharsharif District

Additional District Medical Officer, Keonjhar, Kishore Prusty admitted that three children have died in the last 24 hours.

"Three children have died in the last 24 hours. Thirteen children have died in the last 18 days. A total of 122 children have been admitted in the hospital till September 18... ," Prusty told reporters at Keonjhar.

As people started attacking public properties at the hospital, senior police and health officials rushed to pacify the agitators.

"My younger brother's son was admitted to the hospital. He died due to negligence by the doctor and nurses," alleged Mithun Nayak.

He said the child was admitted to ICU and he died for not getting Oxygen support in time. Doctors and nurses should be always available in emergency. But, they were not present on Saturday night, Nayak alleged.

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