DNA Exclusive: Private hospitals, murder of trust, and helpless COVID patients amid 'mock drill'

Zee News Anchor Aditi Tyagi on Tuesday (June 8) talked about a viral video that shows the callous behaviour of a doctor towards the COVID patients admitted at the hospital. The inhuman 'mock drill' act reportedly was conducted at an Agra hospital which claimed at least 22 lives. Notably, the mock drill was conducted at a time when the country was struggling with the second wave of coronavirus and reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.

New Delhi: Incurable disease - this word is used for illness which cannot be cured by any mean of treatment. In this segment of DNA, we will explain to you about one such disease, which has no cure. Today's analysis is on a viral video from a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Agra - Paras Hospital. 

In the video which went viral on social media on Monday, the owner of Shri Paras Hospital, Arinjay Jain, who is also a doctor, is also heard saying that the bodies of some patients started turning blue after the oxygen supply was cut off for five minutes. Jain is heard saying that the oxygen supply was cut only to see how many patients survive the '5-minute test'. Notably, the hospital operator decided to conduct the mock drill at a time when there were close to 100 COVID-19 patients admitted for the treatment and were on oxygen supply. 

In the video, Jain says that after 5 minutes of abruption of oxygen supply, 22 patients die whereas 74 manage to survive. He says families of those who were unwilling to take their patients were handed over their bodies. The incident took place at the hospital on April 26-27. From what was said in the video, it has come to light that the supply of oxygen to patients was deliberately stopped in the hospital that day, due to which 22 people lost their lives. 

This inhuman act took place at a time when the country was struggling with the second wave of coronavirus and reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. COVID patients and their families and dear ones were struggling to get beds and proper treatment during this period. 

In India, people place immense amount of trust in hospitals and doctors. When a person's health deteriorates and he requires treatment, he doesn't question doctors or put any condition while getting admitted. Upon reaching the hospital, those admitted have only one question with doctors if they will be able to recover and return to their family. However, such callous behaviour of doctors or hospital administration can shatter one's faith in doctors. Imagine, if people stop putting their belief in doctors, what will it lead to?

This latest 'mock drill incident in Agra has hurt the belief of the people. Today, when this clip went viral on social media, families of those, who lost their kin on April 26-27 in the mock-drill, assembled outside the Paras Hospital. They held the hospital administration accountable for the deaths of their relatives. 

We too believe that if these allegations come out as true, then the deaths of those 22 people should be treated as murder. However, the Uttar Pradesh government has said that the claim of 22 deaths on that day at Agra's Paras Hospital is not true. As per the government, the hospital reported only 3 deaths and hence, the claim of mock-drill is not true. 

We would request our readers to watch the viral video.