Three COVID patients die due to oxygen shortage at King Koti Hospital as tanker goes missing

Hyderabad: At least three patients have died following alleged oxygen shortage at King Koti Hospital, Hyderabad. The incident happened on May 9th (Sunday) evening after the tanker carrying 8000-9000 liters of medical oxygen lost its way en route to the hospital.

Speaking to NewsMeter, Narayanguda police said: "The tanker driver, who started from Jadcherla oxygen plant, lost his way on Sunday. Later, the vehicle was found in Petlaburj police station limits. There was two hours of delay in re-filling of oxygen". According to the hospital authorities, 60 percent of the total stored oxygen was used, thus resulting in need for more oxygen. The three patients who died were in a critical stage.

"So far three people have died. We don't know the exact details. No case has been booked against the tanker driver," the cop said.

However, the king Koti district hospital authorities have refuted reports that three COVID patients died due to oxygen shortage.

The news about three patients' death due to lack of oxygen is not correct. Adequate stocks of oxygen are available. There is a 13 KL LOT oxygen storage tank for a backup. We also have a bulk of cylinders available," said the medical superintendent of King Koti hospital.

He said three patients were on assisted ventilation and in critical condition. "The prognosis was explained to patient attendants at the time of admission," he said.

He appealed to people not to panic as the hospital has an adequate oxygen supply available. "Best possible treatment is being given to thousands of patients. The majority of patients are getting cured and discharged accordingly," he said.

It is ironical that, the city police and GHMC had recently set up a help desk at King Koti hospital to assist visitors, patients, and their attendants who visit the district's designated COVID hospital. The desk was establish to inform visitors about the availability of beds, oxygen and ventilator beds, and ICU beds.

Meanwhile, Telangana BJP chief spokesman K. Krishna Saagar Rao said many other patients in the hospital are reported to be in serious condition.

"KCR-led state government's senior officials are busy taking photographs with oxygen tankers, air force planes and circulating them on social media. COVID 19 patients in the state are dying due to criminal negligence and utter incompetence of these officers. Medical oxygen shortage is felt across the nation with unprecedented spike in demand, the TRS government has failed to provide logistics and tankers for transporting oxygen to the hospitals", he said.

"It is learnt from media reports, that the oxygen tanker was traced few kilometers away from the hospital for hours. The truck driver did not know where to deliver the oxygen. In the times we live in, where GPS vehicle tracking and route navigation is used, the TRS government has failed to use basic technology available to route the oxygen stocks to planned destinations in times of emergency," he asked

Rao said Telangana state government officials, who are responsible to coordinate with truck drivers for replenishing oxygen stocks, have miserably failed in discharging their duties. "KCR, who is also holding a portfolio of the health department, should take full responsibility for these deaths. "BJP demands suitable compensation to these patients by the state government, as they died due to official negligence," he said.

This is a developing story

Bed shortage claims another life; Balaji Nagar driver dies running around hospitals

An auto-rickshaw driver from Balaji Nagar died for want of hospital bed at Vidyanagar on Saturday night. Identified as Katta Narsimha, he developed body pain on Saturday night.

Locals said after running around hospitals for two hours, he finally breathed his last when he arrived at Vidyanagar around six kilometers away from home. Narsimha was staying with his wife Katta Kavitha and daughter Katta Likhitha. On Saturday night, when he returned home from work, he complained of body pain. He went to a nearby medical store and bought some tablets.

He took two tablets, but his pain did not subside. His wife and daughter rushed him to ADRM hospital near their home. As there were no beds, they shifted him to Matrix hospital at Ramanthapur. But there too were no beds.

With no option left, they rushed him to Durgabai Deshmukh hospital at Vidyanagar. He was admitted and an ECG was also conducted. After the test, doctors declared him dead. It is suspected that he died due to a delay in medical assistance.

Uppal police have registered a case and started the investigation. Police said the cause of death would be known after the postmortem.