At least 11 patients died and several others are in serious condition when the pressure in the oxygen supply suddenly dropped Monday evening at the SVRR COVID hospital in Tirupati, combined with a delay in the arrival of the oxygen tanker from Chennai.
Probe ordered
Prime Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has called for an investigation and action against those responsible for the incident.
District collector M. Hari Narayanan confirmed that 11 patients in the hospital intensive care unit died.
According to a doctor, around 8:45 p.m., around 15 patients in the intensive care unit, depending on the non-invasive ventilators and oxygen supply, felt as if they were suffocating and gasping for air.
A team of doctors rushed to call the technicians and looked for measures to provide alternative care, but to no avail with no oxygen supply.
When the patients’ relatives saw the excitement, they panicked. The patients who were waiting for oxygen-adjusted beds were also in a panic.
A mob reportedly stormed the wards and allegedly destroyed the premises, annoying the lack of response from the medical team. The police rushed to the scene and got the situation under control.
Fearing public anger, some of the paramedics fled the hospital. Approximately 400 patients are supplied with oxygen at the facility.
After half an hour of the incident, an oxygen tanker arrived at SVRR COVID Hospital and normalcy was restored.
District Health Services Coordinator (DCHS) P. Saralamma said she was unaware of the episode at SVRR Covid Hospital as she was “under isolation”.
The joint collector Veerabrahamam and the District Nodal Officer (COVID Care) Harikrishna did not answer despite repeated attempts to contact them.