Kanpur: The breakdown of an air-conditioning system at Kanpur’s Hallet Hospital has allegedly led to the death of five patients admitted in the Intensive Care Unit.
The hospital, also known as Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital, is an associate medical facility of the state-run Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical College.
After the incident, which occurred late on Thursday night, some patients have been shifted to other hospitals. District magistrate Surendra Singh has directed officials to immediately install two air-conditioners temporarily till the centralised one is repaired. He also ordered a probe into the matter.
As many as 11 people were admitted in the ward, including four children. While a family member of a patient alleged that nearly five people have died till now due to AC failure, GSVM principal denied the accusations.
“We have two air-conditioning units of 10 tonne and 16 tonne each. Some glitches had occurred earlier, which we got fixed immediately. However, last night there was a breakdown but we are getting it repaired," hospital principal Navneet Kumar said, adding that the deaths were not due to AC failure.
“Two deaths occurred due to cardiac arrest, while the other two were due to chronic illness," he said. The deceased have been identified as Indrapal (75), Gaya Prasad (75), Rasool Baksh (55), Murari (56) and another person whose identity could not be established immediately.
“The air-conditioners here hardly work. In the entire day, it is functional for probably two hours, especially when the doctors are on a round. We had even sought permission to install a fan for our ailing relative but the administration did not allow us," a kin of a patient said.
Last year, at least 30 children had died in a span of 48 hours due to shortage of oxygen supply at state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur, the Lok Sabha constituency of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Most deaths were reported from the Neonatal and Encephalitis wards of BRD Hospital College.
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