A. H. Khan Chowdhury, Congress MP & Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, has sought West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's cooperation to improve the situation in government hospitals in the state.

The Malda Medical College & Hospital (MMCH) reported ten infant deaths on Thursday alone. In the month of November, more than sixty infants have lost their lives at the hospital.

In a bid to get to the root of the cause of deaths and improve the situation, Mr. Chowdhury offered to send a team of experts from the Health Ministry to the state.

In a press release, Mr Chowdhury said, "If she [Ms. Banerjee] agrees we could send a team of experts from the Health Ministry to find out why so many deaths of infants have taken place in different government hospitals in West Bengal in recent times."

Asit Biwas, a spokesperson for state health department, said that the deaths were due to asphyxia and septicaemia. But he, surprisingly, added that there was "nothing alarming."

According to the spokesperson, that of the 28 infants who died between Nov. 16 and 26, eighteen were neo-natal cases, while nine of the infants were underweight.

The hospital authorities also said that the number of infant deaths rises with the advent of winter and a decline in temperature.