After a video-clipping, which claimed that a couple of COVID-19 patients admitted in Palani Government Hospital, died due to lack of oxygen, went viral on social media, hospital administration on Sunday rushed to clarify that the content of the footage was “false”.
The three-minute clipping, which showed patients speaking about the poor conditions and absence of doctors at the hospital, appeared to show some patients gasping for breath and others complaining about lack of attention.
A man speaking on the video claimed to be an attendant. “Since the nurses here have not given food and water to my ailing father, I took a risk and came here.” He did not have a face mask.
Physical distancing norms also seemd to be neglected as patients spoke on the video one after the other standing close by.
An aged man said, “I got admitted here on Saturday noon. Till now, no doctor has come here.. I may have stayed at home itself. Having been admitted in the isolation ward among other COVID-19 patients, I now feel more depressed. I have lost confidence in getting cured after seeing a patient die here. Unable to continue...” he said crying on the video.
The hospital had sufficient oxygen, said chief medical officer Udaykumar.
Doctors, nurses and conservancy workers designated for the special isolation ward attended on a three-hift basis. “Since they wear PPE kits, a patient may not be able to identify doctors and nurses. The teams were attending patients requiring oxygen and they were given accordingly,” he said.
When there was a requirement for oxygen, as per protocol, intent was sent to higher authorities for allocation, he said and denied the conversations in the video as ‘false’. “At a time, when doctors and nurses were working at high levels of risk, such criticism will not only divert attention, but also bring down the morale.”
