Mock oxygen drill: Agra hosp’s licence suspended
AGRA : The license of Shri Paras Hospital in Agra was suspended on Wednesday, a day after the hospital’s sealing was ordered following allegations that hospital authorities turned off oxygen for five minutes on April 26 to see which patients would survive and left 22 people gasping for breath. The allegations about the hospital are related to a video that surfaced on Monday where the owner, Arinjay Jain, is heard saying that he conducted a “mock drill” at 7am on April 26 during an acute oxygen shortage in the city and 22 people were “eliminated” after they “turned blue”.
AGRA: The license of Shri Paras Hospital in Agra was suspended on Wednesday, a day after the hospital’s sealing was ordered following allegations that hospital authorities turned off oxygen for five minutes on April 26 to see which patients would survive, and left 22 people gasping for breath.
Agra’s chief medical officer Dr RC Pandey confirmed the suspension of the hospital’s licence in view of “anomalies found there”.
The allegations about the hospital are related to a video that surfaced on Monday where Shri Paras Hospital owner, Arinjay Jain, is heard saying that he conducted a “mock drill” at 7am on April 26 during an acute oxygen shortage in the city and 22 people were “eliminated” after they “turned blue”.
Jain denied the allegations on Tuesday and said such an exercise was not done.
After the video went viral on social media, a case was registered against Jain at New Agra police station for violating the Epidemic Diseases Act, creating false alarm under the disaster management act and disobeying official orders under the Indian Penal Code.
After the Shri Paras Hospital was sealed, 55 patients were shifted to other hospitals. Two committees have been entrusted with separate inquiries. Additional chief medical officer (ACMO) Dr Virendra Bharti reached the hospital with deputy CMO Dr RK Agnihotri on Wednesday to make sure that no one was present there and carry out the sealing.
“Orders for sealing the hospital were passed on Tuesday, but there were 55 patients in the hospital. No sealing could be done till they were shifted. Most of them were shifted to SN Medical College and Hospital (in Agra) and few of them went to private hospitals of their choice,” CMO said.
“There are two different probes ordered with regard to the case, one instituted by the Agra district magistrate and the other by the Agra CMO. Further action will follow once these reports are obtained,” said ACMO Dr Bharti after sealing the hospital on Wednesday afternoon.
“Shri Paras Hospital had enough oxygen and it is not true that 22 patients died there due to oxygen shortage. However, the video that is being circulated will be examined and the required action will be taken,” Agra district magistrate Prabhu N Singh had said on Tuesday.
The family members of some patients who allegedly died at hospital on April 26 stated that there was an oxygen crisis and they were asked to bring oxygen cylinders for their loved ones.
Ashok Kumar said his wife Munni Devi was admitted to Shri Paras Hospital on April 25. His daughter alleged that there were no beds available at the hospital and a doctor said that she would be treated on a stretcher. “We received a call at 4.30am on April 26 and were asked to shift the patient to another hospital as there was an oxygen shortage at Shri Paras Hospital. We assured the hospital that we would arrange an oxygen cylinder,” stated Ashok Kumar.
“I used to see my wife through the CCTV screen in the hospital waiting room, but the CCTV cameras were switched off on April 26. We were informed later on the evening of April 26 that my wife was no more,” Ashok Kumar alleged.
“If there was enough oxygen, as stated by the administration, then why was it not given to patients whose caregivers were asked to arrange for oxygen. I believe that my mother became the victim of a mock drill conducted by doctor as admitted in the video going viral. When I looked at my mother for the last time at the crematorium, her body was blue,” said the daughter of the deceased.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena district president Virendra Verma registered a case against the Shri Paras Hospital staff for allegedly attacking the party activists when they went to the hospital at about 9pm on Tuesday.
All India Congress Committee member Updendra Singh said there were doubts about the district administration’s claim that sufficient oxygen was available on April 26 and 27 “when about two dozen hospitals had placed notices about shortage of oxygen”.
“I demand a fair death audit at all Covid hospitals for that particular duration so that the situation at other hospitals could also be known,” Upendra Singh said.