25 COVID-19 patients on ventilator support shifted due to disrupted oxygen supply in AP hospital

VIZIANAGARAM: Around 25 patients undergoing treatment on Oxygen for Covid19 infection in Maharaja Central Hospital, Vizianagaram district were shifted to other hospitals in the district on Monday early hours following disruption in the supply of oxygen due to technical glitches.

Two patients reportedly died after oxygen supply got blocked between 3 am to 3.30 am but the officials denied the same stating that they died of COVID and 'not because of (lack of) oxygen supply.'

Vizianagaram district collector M Hari Jawaharlal said a technical glitch caused a low-pressure supply of oxygen to those who were on oxygen support. "We have immediately rushed to the hospital and after that, there was a low supply of oxygen, we immediately ensured that there was no problem to the patients,'' he said.

The Collector said alternate arrangements are being made and an oxygen tanker from Visakhapatnam is being rushed to the district hospital for a supply of oxygen.

Hari Jawaharlal, quoting the in-charge District Medical and Health Officer Gowri Shankar, clarified that there were only two deaths and that too was due to Covid and not due to interruption in oxygen supply. "Doctors made it clear that the deaths were not due to lack of oxygen supply. The condition of the deceased patients was critical when they were being treated,'' he said.

A total of 290 patients are undergoing treatment at the hospital and of them, only 25 are on Oxygen, he added.

Responding to the issue, deputy chief minister Pamula Pushpasree Vani said 15 patients who were on oxygen support were shifted to a private hospital in Vizianagaram. She also assured that the technical glitch with regard to the supply of oxygen would be resolved by Monday evening.