Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: A fifth patient has died in the case of an oxygen supply machine malfunctioning in the ICU of a Delhi government-run hospital.
While four critically ill patients died at the Sushrut Trauma Centre in North Delhi Tuesday morning, the fifth succumbed on Wednesday.
The Delhi government has set up a three-member probe committee to investigate the incident.
SB Shashank, Special Secretary, Health department, Delhi government, said, “The government has taken a serious view of incident. We have set up a three-member committee to look into the incident.”
Shashank described the incident as “shocking news for all of us” and said the committee has been mandated to establish the lapses in the system to prevent such recurrences.
Following the incident, relatives of the victims had staged a protest at the hospital.
The deceased were identified as Rajkumari, 35, Javed, 20 and Rehana, 36, while the fourth person, aged approximately 25 years, was yet to be identified.
Officials said malfunctioning of the oxygen supply machine and network has been found to be primary reasons for the incident. A private entity from Punjabi Bagh area of the city, which set up the network few months back at the hospital, was maintaining the oxygen supply facility.
Expressing grief over the incident, Health Minister AK Walia said all required steps will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
Walia said he will hold a meeting on Wednesday to review functioning of all Delhi government-run hospitals in the city.
Officials said Javed, a resident of Kashmeri Gate area, was admitted to the hospital with head injuries while Rajkumari from Swarup Nagar was admitted following food poisoning. Rehana, who had head injuries, had undergone a surgery.
(With PTI inputs)
