Agra hospital sealed after viral video of mock drill shows patients turn blue from lack of oxygen

Mangalore Today News Network

Agra, Jun 08, 2021:     Following widespread uproar over the alleged deaths of 22 Covid-19 patients from lack of oxygen at Shri Paras Hospital Agra, the district administration sealed the hospital on Tuesday and a case under the Epidemic Diseases Act was registered against the hospital owner for spreading misinformation.

 

The case came to light when a video surfaced of Shri Paras Hospital Agra owner Dr Arinjay Jain describing a so-called ’mock drill’ in which oxygen supply was shut down for five minutes. In the viral video, Dr Jain mentions that 22 patients showed severe hypoxia symptoms during the mock drill and their hands and feet turned blue. It is alleged that these 22 patients later died and their deaths were covered up.

Agra District Magistrate Prabhu N Singh denied these allegations. Talking to India Today, he said that only four deaths took place at the hospital due to Covid-19 complications and there was no shortage of oxygen at any time.

"The video was recorded on April 28 and we have found that no deaths were reported due to lack of oxygen during April 26 and 27. There was an ample supply of oxygen cylinders to the hospital and it is on record of the administration,” said Singh.

He said the matter is under investigation and till the inquiry is complete, the hospital will remain sealed. The 55 patients who were admitted in the hospital at the time of sealing were shifted to other hospitals.Hospital owner Dr Arinjay Jain told India Today that he was misquoted on the basis of the video, which is completely out of context. Jain said that the mock drill had indeed been conducted at the hospital, but it was in order to find out how many patients are dependent on high flow oxygen and how many can be weaned off to lower oxygen consumption. He said that there have been no deaths at the hospital due to the oxygen crisis and the four deaths that did occur were due to the natural progression of Covid-19 infection in those patients.

"In my video I nowhere mentioned the death of patients. Yes, there was a mock drill conducted to find out how many patients are critical and cannot be saved if oxygen runs out. No patient died. I am a doctor and no doctor would do such a thing. The message got manipulated," Dr Jain said.

This is not the first time that Shri Paras Hospital Agra has come under the scanner for alleged irregularities. In April 2020, the hospital was sealed for admitting Covid-19 patients without permission, which resulted in the spread of the infection to 10 districts of Uttar Pradesh. A case under the Epidemic Act was registered against Dr Jain at that time as well. The hospital had remained sealed for 10 days before it was allowed to start accepting patients again.

Courtesy:India Today