Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for giving a clean chit to an Agra hospital where 22 patients died after oxygen supply was allegedly cut during a drill.
She said that the government has closed all the doors of justice.
Priyanka, who is also the in-charge of UP Congress, tweeted: "What an irony. According to reports a hospital in Agra conducted mock drill by allegedly cutting the oxygen supply and the BJP government gave clean chit to the hospital doing mock drill of the inquiry. The paths of government and the hospital have been cleared. By not listening to the complaints of the patients families, the government has shut all hope of justice."
She also attached a news report claiming that a clean chit was given to the Paeas Hospital, which was caught in a controversy after a video surfaced online. In the video, a man was heard saying to conduct a mock drill on oxygen supply.
Agra hospital tragedy
Last month, a two-man inquiry committee has been set up by the district administration to investigate allegations against the controversy shrouding 22 deaths due to oxygen supply suspension as part of a "mock drill" by a private hospital in Agra.
As a video went viral two days later on June 7th, bringing to light the alleged heinous crime by the management of the Paras Hospital, the UP government appointed a two-member committee toprobe the matter.
Following the furore raised in political circles, the Agra district administration has sealed off the hospital and registered a case against the owners under the Epidemics Act. The licence of the hospital has also been suspended. The 50 odd patients in the Paras hospital, have been transferred to other hospitals.
However, Agra District Magistrate P.N. Singh has denied any shortage of oxygen which could have led to the fatalities. Talking to media persons Singh said, if relatives of the deceased complain, a thorough investigation could be ordered.
The official figure of death on April 26, the night oxygen supply was alleged to have been cut off resulting in 22 deaths, was only seven, sources said. This is the second time Paras Hospital has been in news. The same hospital was sealed last year, in the first lockdown for anomalies and patients had to be shifted to the Sefai hospital.
The hospital management has been at pains to explain the content of the viral video, but the public ire and the backlog of pent up emotions of victims against the medical fraternity, in general, has raised the pitch so high that the so-called "friendly" sources in the ruling party and administration of the hospital owners, have backed out this time.
