HYDERABAD: Three Covid-19 patients died and about 20 others struggled to breathe when the King Koti District Hospital in the city suddenly almost ran out of oxygen on Sunday.According to sources, oxygen pressure in the hospital was low for a few hours, which resulted in the death of three persons.
Sources said that there was a delay in the arrival of an oxygen tanker to the hospital since the driver, who was coming from Jadcherla, took the tanker to Osmania Hospital owing to some confusion. Later, the tanker arrived at King Koti, after which the authorities resumed oxygen supply.
Patients who went through the harrowing experience said that the hospital management was negligent in ensuring that enough oxygen was made available. There were reports of several other government hospitals facing the issue of low oxygen pressure during the day.
King Koti is a designated Covid-19 facility in Hyderabad where only yesterday, a help desk at the hospital was inaugurated by the city police for visitors, patients and their attendants. The attendants of Covid-19 patients admitted at the hospital said when there was a shortage of oxygen, they questioned the doctors about the same, but did not get any satisfactory replies.
As the situation became critical, doctors approached the hospital’s Superintendent. But by then, three patients had already died.Despite several attempts, hospital Superintendent Dr Rajendranath could not be reached for a comment.