Health Minister orders probe into deaths due to oxygen failure at Jalandhar hospital

Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh has ordered a detailed enquiry into the death of three ICU patients at Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Civil Hospital, Jalandhar. The minister paid a surprise visit to the hospital at 12.55 am on Sunday night, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal, after receiving reports alleging an oxygen supply failure.

The Civil Hospital remained abuzz with the visits of officials, ministers and bureaucrats today, as after the health minister, the Director, Punjab Health Systems Corporation Dr Anil Goyal spent almost the entire day at the hospital. Meanwhile, Opposition leaders MLAs Pargat Singh and Bawa Henry, BSP state president Avtar Singh Karimpuri while visiting the civil hospital, trained guns at the health authorities as well as the state government alleging a serious lapse at the hospital. Last night, members of the BJP district core committee, including Sushi Rinku, Sheetal Angural among other leaders had also visited the civil hospital.

Punjab Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat also visited the trauma centre of the hospital today.

A snake bite patient aged 15, a 21-year-old drug overdose patient and a 35-year-old TB patient lost their lives on Sunday night after oxygen supply was snapped due to a technical glitch at the civil hospital on Sunday evening.

Speaking to the media, the Health Minister said, “Due to a technical snag, the oxygen plant witnessed a brief low-pressure issue, which was promptly managed with a backup system as a plant operator immediately changed over the entire system on an alternate compressor. However, to ensure transparency and accountability, a high-level probe has been initiated.”

He said senior health department officials had been directed to investigate the matter thoroughly and submit a report within 48 hours.

He also assured that the Punjab Government stands firmly with the bereaved families. He said patients who died were already in a critical condition — one had multiple organ failure and another was also suffering from a chronic disease. The minster claimed there was no shortage of manpower, with 46 interns, 14 house surgeons and DNB students deployed to ensure patient care.

However, the opposition has questioned the claim of adequate staff at the hospital.

The minister also said that strict action will be taken if any lapses or negligence by hospital staff was found. He assured the state government will take measures to prevent such incidents in the future by addressing any gaps highlighted in the inquiry report.

Opposition trains guns against state government

Meanwhile, the Opposition has issued a condemnation of the state government over the three deaths.

Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh said, “The collapse of emergency technical back up services which are among the highest priorities in the state, denotes a serious lapse. It is a huge negligence. The deaths of three people this way is a huge blot. Responsibility must be fixed. No one is working to fix ground problems like staff and negligence. We will take up the issue in the Vidhan Sabha.”

MLA Bawa Henry said, “The health minister should already have resigned after the serious lapse we have witnessed at the hospital. The responsibility lies first with the state CM, then the health minister and then the health secretary.”

Taking up the issue of the patients’ post-mortem with the director, PSHC, Henry also questioned why the bodies’ post-mortem wasn’t conducted. He said, “It can’t be a fair probe if the cause of the death of the patients wasn’t ascertained with a post-mortem. That was an imperative step.” He also sought a fair and independent inquiry into the deaths which wouldn’t be influenced.

BSP state president Avtar Singh Karimpuri, questioning claims of health authorities of patients being serious, said, “Three deaths are a serious negligence. The health department shouldn’t rush to conclusions while the probe is yet to be done. Lapses in the oxygen supply must be addressed and accountability fixed.”