Several coronavirus-infected patients have reportedly died at the COVID-dedicated Satkhira Medical College Hospital amid a shortage of medical oxygen at the facility.
A hospital staffer, asking not to be named, said as many as six people passed away during a disruption in the oxygen supply on Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com,
However, the hospital authorities did not provide confirmation of the deaths. While acknowledging the disruption in the oxygen supply, they said the problem was resolved soon afterward.
Manas Kumar Mandal, chief of the hospital's corona unit, said, “Oxygen levels in the hospital had been declining since the afternoon. This was reported in the morning. Since then, oxygen supplies have been brought from Jashore. The oxygen level in the hospital has now returned to normal. ”
Satkhira's Civil Surgeon Hussain Shafayat confirmed the deaths of four coronavirus patients but did not specify the reasons for their demise.
However, he said that if there was any negligence in managing the oxygen supply system, it will be investigated.
A hospital worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "There was an oxygen crisis and six people died. But I can't say whether it was down to the oxygen shortage.”
Taj Muhammad Khan, son of 63-year-old Akram Hossain Khan who died in the ICU unit, said the hospital had been experiencing problems with the central oxygen supply for the past few days. But the authorities did not pay attention to that.
"There hadn't been any oxygen since 6 am. The oxygen supply resumed at 8 pm. How will these patients survive? I lost my father because of the negligence of the authorities," he said.
Shafayat said, “There shouldn't be an oxygen crisis in the Medical College Hospital. Even then, I heard about the disruption. That was immediately fixed. There are more than 70 cylinders besides the central oxygen supply. ”
On the death of the patients, he said, “Several people have died. However, four people died in the corona unit. The health division will look into whether there was any negligence on the part of the authorities. ”