BHOPAL: Five Covid patients died due to a glitch in the supply of oxygen at Galaxy Hospital, Jabalpur on the intervening night of Thursday-Friday, following which family of the deceased staged a protest accusing the hospital management of negligence.
Those who died have been identified Pramila Tiwari, Gautam Tiwari, Anand Sharma, Gomti Rai and Dr Devendra Kuraria.
City Superintendent of Police (Kotwali area) Dipak Mishra said "Five Covid-19 patients died in the ICU of the hospital after the stock of the medical oxygen got over according to the family members of the deceased."
The police personnel, who were patrolling the area.
reached the hospital at night on receiving a message about the outcry of family members outside the facility.
"They complained that their loved ones died due to the lack of oxygen supply as the stock got exhausted," the CSP said.
The hospital was waiting for the supply of 10 oxygen cylinders late night on Thursday, but the vehicle transporting them broke down. Later, a police team was rushed to the private agency to collect the cylinders, he said.
"A vehicle was arranged and 10 medical oxygen cylinders were brought to the hospital," he said.
The family members have urged the police to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
Police also cordoned off the entire area as family members of the deceased were highly agitated and in an aggressive mood.
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SP Sidharth Bahuguna said, “Hospital had sufficient oxygen, but there were technical glitches during oxygen refilling which prima-facie led to the deaths. The situation is now normal. We had supplied oxygen cylinders to the hospital but there was sufficient oxygen there. Further probe is on.”
Previously, shortage of oxygen had led to the deaths of 22 Covid patients in Shahdol while in state capital, five had died in CITI hospital for the same reason.
Commenting on the incident, BJP MLA (Patan) and former health minister Ajay Vishnoi said, "Poor management of the private hospital over the oxygen supply led to the incident." The hospital should have made arrangement for the supply of medical oxygen in advance considering the requirement, he said.
"As of now there is no shortage of medical oxygen in Jabalpur district," Vishnoi added.
Despite repeated attempts, nobody from the hospital was available for comment
