5 Patients Die On Ventilator Due To Lack Of Oxygen Supply, Says Medical Council

Five patients died on ventilator at the Delhi government's Sushruta Trauma Centre due to lack of oxygen supply. The company supplying oxygen stopped its services due to delay in payment for the past five years. According to the Delhi Medical Council, there were administrative lapses, reports The Indian Express. They have asked the Delhi government "to fix responsibility and initiate corrective action". Submitting the findings of the inquiry report into the 2012 incident, Dr Girish Tyagi, secretary, Delhi Medical Council, said, "We have come to the conclusion that there was no negligence on part of the doctor. At the time of incident, it has been found, all the five patients were revived - but later died because of their illness. The lapses were purely administrative. We have recommended the government to fix the accountability."

"In future, any disruption in the supply of the oxygen and such failure of equipment should be brought to the notice of the competent authority by the person who is responsible for using this equipment for the rectification of this defect," said the medical council in a statement.

In December, 2012, four critically ill patients, who were on ventilator in the intensive care unit, died after oxygen supply from the Sushruta Trauma Centre gas plant snapped. News reports stated that the police later arrested two persons working for PSE - the firm managing oxygen supply in the hospital's gas plant. A case of negligence was registered against the company. The then Health Minister Dr AK Walia then constituted a four-member panel to review the existing medical procedures and facilities at government hospitals.

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