Tragic Losses Stir Outrage: Investigation of Newborn Deaths in Siberia

The Russian government has launched a criminal investigation into the deaths of nine newborns at a maternity hospital in Siberia, believed to be caused by negligence. The state Investigative Committee announced that staff were being questioned and forensic tests initiated to determine the cause of these tragedies at Hospital No. 1 in Novokuznetsk, a city of around 500,000 inhabitants.

In response to the incident, politicians and the public expressed outrage, questioning how the country could increase its birth rate under such conditions. Notably, lawmaker Yana Lantratova described the incident as a "crime against the country," while another commentator accused local authorities of lacking empathy, highlighting the critical state of the nation’s healthcare system amidst financial strains.

The incident has triggered nationwide repercussions, with additional inspections of maternity hospitals ordered across Russia. The healthcare system is under scrutiny with reduced funding due to increased defense spending amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The maternity hospital has announced a suspension of admissions due to an outbreak of respiratory infections, separate from the deaths of the infants.