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India: 8 patients, doctor die in Delhi hospital due to lack of oxygen

New Delhi - News of death surfaced at court hearing after judge was informed about lack of oxygen.

In a shocking incident, eight patients including a doctor died at Batra hospital in Delhi as it ran out of oxygen on Saturday afternoon. News of the death surfaced at a court hearing, where the judge was informed about the lack of oxygen and the consequent deaths.

“We hope no lives were lost,” the judge asked when told about the oxygen shortage. “We have,” said the hospital representative, revealing the death of eight including its own doctor. Dr Sudhanshu Bankata, executive director of the hospital, sent out a video SOS about the sad state.

“We have just run out of oxygen... currently surviving on some cylinders. Over the next 10 minutes that will also run out. We are again in crisis mode. Delhi government is trying to help but their tanker is some distance away," he added.

Responding to his pleas, Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha responded: "Our SOS cryogenic tanker carrying Liquid Medical Oxygen is reaching Batra Hospital within five minutes. Their regular supplier of oxygen has defaulted yet again due to alleged 'lack of oxygen supplies' and is being pulled up." Dr Bankata later said that the hospital ran out of oxygen at 12.15 pm, and received fresh supplies only at 1.35 pm. “In between we had some oxygen cylinders, but they cannot support ventilators,” he said. “Eight people died due to shortage of oxygen and we not receiving oxygen on time."

The hospital has been on SOS mode from 6 in the morning on Saturday. It has 307 patients, of whom 230 are on oxygen support. The shoddy oxygen supplies are threatening the lives of all these patients.