Gopalganj Sadar hospital supplying oxygen to two patients from one cylinder

Alok Mishra

Gopalganj: Even after death of a newborn due to lack of oxygen at Gopalganj Sadar Hospital on November 1, the hospital authorities do not seem to have taken any lesson.  Gopalganj DM Rahul Kumar had directed Civil Surgeon Dr Madheshwar Prasad Sharma to probe into the matter and take stern action against the erring officials.

Two patients in the Emergency Ward of Gopalganj Sadar Hospital were being administered oxygen from a single cylinder. Safichandra Prasad, a native of village Amathikhurd under Thawe police station, had been admitted to Emergency Ward of Sadar Hospital with respiratory problem. He is being given oxygen. Shockingly, a newborn is also being supplied oxygen from the same cylinder.

As the indicator on the oxygen cylinders are out of order neither the doctors nor the patients are aware whether oxygen was being supplied to the patients or not. The hospital staff depend on `jugar’ technology by keeping the oxygen tube in a bucket full of water. If the doctors are to be believed, it can cause infection to the patients being administered oxygen from the same source.

When contacted, Gopalganj Civil Surgeon Dr Madehshwar Prasad Sharma said that he had no knowledge about oxygen being administered to two patients from the same cylinder. He said action would be taken after probe. It may be mentioned here that the newborn baby of one Lovely Devi had died without oxygen at the hospital in the wee hours on November 1.