Five die as hospital runs out of oxygen in Roorkee
Five Covid-19 patients died at a private hospital in Roorkee in Haridwar district allegedly due to non-availability of oxygen, officials said on Wednesday.
Haridwar district magistrate C Ravi Shankar on Wednesday ordered a magisterial probe into the incident. Joint magistrate Roorkee Namami Bansal has been appointed as the probe officer.
A medical audit of the hospital is also being conducted by a team comprising the chief medical superintendent of Roorkee’s Joint Government Hospital and two doctors, he said.
“Chief medical superintendent of Joint Hospital, Roorkee will also name a panel of two doctors who will be auditing the oxygen supply to Vinay Vishal hospital till May 4, 2021.Inquiry will also be done about the daily patients admitted in the said hospital, usage of oxygen as per the patients’ number, stock age of oxygen and related aspects. The three medical experts will in detail inspect the Covid ward wearing PPE kit and check the oxygen-related logbook, receipts from oxygen supplier agency and related documents. A detailed report will have to be submitted by May 7 to me by the joint magistrate,” Shankar said.
“Stern legal action will be taken against those responsible for the incident,” he sais
Out of 70 beds occupied in the hospital, 50 patients were being given oxygen through the central system while the remaining were supported by oxygen cylinders, a doctor said.
“Five Covid-19 patients were undergoing treatment at the private hospital in Roorkee. One patient was on a ventilator while the rest four patients were on oxygen-supported beds. For twenty-five minutes the oxygen supply was not available to the patients which led to the death of five patients,” the doctor said, requesting anonymity.
Uttarakhand government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal said people found guilty in the incident face stern legal action.
The manager of the hospital claimed that they had informed district administration officials on Monday night four hours before the hospital would run out of oxygen, but the life-saving gas was not supplied on time, which led to the death of the patients.
Joint magistrate Roorkee Namami Bansal, however, said oxygen was supplied to the hospital in the night itself as soon as the message about the shortage was received.
“The said hospital has already been directed to ensure at least 12 hours of oxygen back up and was being provided adequate liquid and oxygen cylinders,” said Bansal.
District magistrate Shankar said that an online meeting was taken on Tuesday with all Covid hospital managers regarding availability and supply of oxygen.
“They were directed to inform administration by 4 pm every day about available stock and requirement of oxygen, so that hospitals cane supplied oxygen on time,” he said.
Meanwhile, oxygen production has been upped at Manglaur-based plant from the previous 700 cylinders to 1000 cylinders per day, according to plant managing director Rakesh Yadav.