In an alleged grave medical negligence, an elderly woman suffering from cancer died due to oxygen shortage caused by a power outage here at the District Hospital in Rajasthan on Wednesday night, her relatives said.
The hospital administration has rubbished the allegations, it said were baseless.
'Oxygen Shortage Due To Power Outage Killed My Mother-in-law'
The deceased's son-in-law, Vishnu said that his mother-in-law Shanti Bai, a resident of Matunda, was admitted in the district hospital for the last two days. Vishnu said that there was a power outage at the hospital for about an hour on Wednesday night, which he said disrupted the oxygen supply to the ward where Shanti Bai was admitted.
“When I asked the staff to start the generator, they sent me to the guard, who clearly said that the generator was out of order, Vishnu said, adding that his mother-in-law died for want of oxygen.
The power shortage, as seen in a viral video, plunged the entire hospital premises in darkness and chaos for around one and half hours. After the woman's death, the angry family members created a ruckus in the hospital premises and lodged a protest against the alleged medical negligence. Slogans were raised against the administration and a demand was made to fix the accountability of the staff. The family members alleged that the generator was out of order and the staff did not help. They said the negligence not only took the life of the cancer patient, but has endangered the lives of dozens of patients.
Hospital Administration Denies Allegations
District Hospital Superintendent Dr. NL Meena rejected the allegations and said that oxygen was supplied to the hospital from the central line, which, he said, remains functional round the clock.
“It has nothing to do with the power outage. The treatment of cancer patient Shanti Bai was already going on. The family members should understand about such serious patients, but it is unfortunate that people make false allegations,” Dr Meena said.
The hospital Superintendent however failed to explain what actually caused the woman's death.