The state-run hospital of Jalandhar gave an example of negligence and disregard for human life when the oxygen supply to the COVID patients stopped.
The ensuing chaos found the officers-in-charge missing, and the Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori has taken serious note of the same. He has assigned ADC Viresh Sarangal 24 hours for an enquiry into the incident.
Fortunately, no patient suffered any long-lasting adverse effect, but this lapse does point to a possibility of a disaster happening soon.
79 patients are being looked after in the hospital at the time of writing.
Pertinently, the ADC conducted an audit of oxygen management and did an impeccable job as stopping non-essential usage and curbing leakage. He and his team cut down the daily consumption of oxygen cylinders by almost half – from 410 cylinders to 214 cylinders.
Commendable this achievement is, but why were the health officers not alert to this wastage, especially in the situation the nation is facing?