Shashidhar Kosambe, a member of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, visited a hostel at BDAA Football Coaching Centre and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) in Ballari on Thursday.
In both these places, he expressed discontentment over the absence of child-friendly conditions.
At the hostel, Mr. Kosambe inspected the toilets and bathrooms and expressed dissatisfaction over their poor maintenance. During an interaction, many children told Mr. Kosambe that they are not being provided with nutritious food.
Earlier, he visited NICU at VIMS and found that more than three children are being treated in a single bed and asked the hospital authorities to make better arrangements to avoid such a situation.
He later visited the post-natal care ward and inspected the bathrooms and toilets there. He also interacted with the breastfeeding mothers and the pregnant women.
“There are 60 beds at the NICU in VIMS and only 30 of them are in good condition. Due to shortage of beds, the doctors are using single bed for treating more than one child putting the children at the risk of infection transmission. I have directed the hospital authorities to make arrangements for additional beds to meet the requirement. I have also directed the authorities to properly maintain the toilets and bathrooms at VIMS. If the authorities don’t comply with this direction, a suo motu case will be registered against the authorities concerned,” Mr. Kosambe said, after the visit.
