The news regarding the death of 17 patients due to the alleged lack of oxygen at Maharaja Yashwant Rao Hospital, on Thursday, spread like wildfire in Indore. Reports suggest that the oxygen supply was snapped for a solid 15 minutes between 3:00 am and 4:00 am, leading to the deaths which allegedly included children as well.
Officials deny; call it a 'routine'
Amidst all the allegations, the Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Dubey denied all allegations saying that there was neither any disruption in oxygen supply nor any medical negligence. Several reports quoted the hospital administration saying that patient deaths were a 'routine' matter in such big hospitals. As many as four to six people die on an average in ICU everyday, Dubey said adding that "There is no child among the dead. There was no medical negligence," the officer added.
As many as four to six people die on an average in ICU every day, Dubey said adding that "There is no child among the dead. There was no medical negligence," the officer added.
Conflicting reports
However, another report quoted the hospital sources saying that there had been a disruption in supply around 3:00 am and that the information about the same was confined to senior officials. Further, when media-persons went in to seek the records, the record book on dead patients and the oxygen supply went conspicuously missing. Officials went on to claim that everything was fine but refused to provide the evidence.
When the news spread like wildfire, from politicians to locals, all marched toward MY Hospital- which is seen as the largest hospital in Central India, read a report. It has been observed that the hospital's oxygen delivery system had been under the scanner after two children, who were given nitrogen instead of oxygen, died last year in May.
Officials, on Thursday, told a media outlet that as many as 60-70 patients are administered oxygen which is supplied by a pipe in almost all wards. "If the oxygen supply had been cut, the rest of the patients should also have died," Div Com, Dubey pointed out.
