Condition hasn’t improved much at the medical college

GORAKHPUR: Though the BRD Medical College administration on Saturday claimed that supply of 300 jumbo oxygen cylinders was made from different sources to the college, the condition on the ground didn’t seem to have improved much as, in the absence of oxygen cylinders, hand-held devices were used to pump oxygen into patients.

On Saturday, nine more children died in the encephalitis, neo-natal, paediatric and other wards even as UP health minister Siddharthnath Singh and medical education minister Ashutosh Tandon visited the college to take stock of the situation.

There was no official confirmation on whether the deaths were caused due to shortage of oxygen or other reasons.

Panic continued to prevail at the college, a day after it was found that 31 children had died there in 48 hours allegedly due to lack of oxygen.

Also at Nehru Hospital, which is part of BRD Medical College, shortage of liquid oxygen continued to prevail.

“Condition doesn’t seem to be improved much as more deaths have occurred due to oxygen shortage,” said a parent Sant Mohan, who fears for the life of his 2-year-old child admitted in the neo-natal ward.

Meanwhile, oxygen cylinder supplier Pushpa Sales officials said a payment of Rs 21 lakh had been made to the company’s account by the medical college against the outstanding dues and a truck full of oxygen cylinders had been dispatched for Gorakhpur. It would reach there by Sunday morning, the officials said.

Local supplier Modi Pharma, which used to supply oxygen before BRD entered into a fresh agreement with Pushpa sales last year in July, also dispatched cylinders on Saturday to the medical college.

Congress, BSP, SP and Aam Aadmi Party leaders reached the BRD Medical College and condemned the administration for the deaths.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad demanded that chief minister Yogi Adityanath apologise to the country and sought resignation of health minister, health secretary.

BSP state incharge Ram Anchal Ranbhar said: “The incident has shaken the nation with over 30 deaths. We demand a high level inquiry in to it,” he said.

Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal, an ally of BJP, is expected to visit BRD soon.