Kin blame snag in Thane hosp’s O2 supply for four deaths, probe on | Mumbai News - Times of India
Thane: The Thane district collector has instituted a probe after relatives of four Covid patients, who died in a span of four hours early on Monday at the Vedant hospital, alleged their deaths were caused by a snag in the hospital’s oxygen supply network. The inquiry will ascertain if there was any medical negligence and will be done by a six-member panel. Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde said CM Uddhav Thackeray has asked for fast-tracking of the probe.
According to civic officials, the four patients were admitted to the hospital over the last few days along with 56 others requiring oxygen support. However, their kin who assembled near the hospital premises on Monday morning alleged the hospital had fallen short of oxygen and failed to arrange new supplies, which cost the patients their lives.
“Our patient was stable till late Sunday night but I was shocked to know of the death. We got to know from some staffers that there was some snag in the oxygen supply system,” said Mandar Pashte, a relative. Another relative claimed his father was okay till midnight but he suddenly received a call in the early hours saying he had died. “There seems to be something suspicious in the facility, and we would not want anyone else to suffer,” he told TOI, refusing to be identified.
Eknath Shinde visited the hospital late afternoon and said the chief minister had taken cognisance of the incident. The Vedant hospital management was unavailable for comment. Sources said the probe report may be submitted on Tuesday. No police case has been registered.
Sandeep Pachange, an office-bearer of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena who visited the hospital after being alerted by one of the affected relatives, said that the municipal and hospital administration had played a “cruel joke” on hapless patients. BJP MLC Niranjan Davkhare alleged that the authorities were callous and had failed to take corrective action despite being reminded about such things in advance.
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya called for the immediate sacking of state health minister Rajesh Tope citing several incidents of lapses leading to fatalities among Covid patients across the state in the past few days.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi’s cabinet minister Jitendra Awhad also visited the hospital late on Monday afternoon. Shinde told mediapersons, “The Bhiwandi municipal commissioner, deputy collector of Thane, medical health officer, deputy municipal commissioner and the civil surgeon will probe the allegations. The probe will ascertain the cause of deaths and whoever is found guilty of negligence will not be spared.”