Three patients died at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai on May 7 night and their families have alleged that the deaths were caused by shutting down of ventilators owing to power failure. The hospital, however, rejected the accusation and attributed the deaths to critical illness.
A preliminary report submitted by the hospital to the Health Secretary says the ventilators had battery backup and were functioning despite the power outage and generators failing.
The kin have demanded that the Tamil Nadu government look into the alleged negligence on the part of the hospital.
M. Malliga (58), K. Ravindran (52) and P. Palaniammal (60) were in the neurology ward in the new GRH complex near the Anna Bus stand.
The rain that lashed the city for an hour resulted in a power cut at the hospital between 6.20 p.m. and 7.20 p.m., according to officials of the GRH.
Eyewitnesses said the two generators did not function, resulting in a blackout.
The three patients died within five minutes of each other, the family members alleged.
A. Chandrasekaran, a relative who was by Malliga’s side, said he had to help the doctor on duty and nurses with his mobile phone’s torchlight during the blackout.
M. Mariyacholan, a relative of Ravindran, said he too held a torchlight for the doctors to help resuscitate the patient. “We saw the doctors using ambu bags and as soon as the power supply was cut, Ravindran started having problems,” he said.
Dean says deaths, power failure unrelated
Dean of the hospital Dr. K. Vanitha said the deaths and the power failure were unrelated. “Each ventilator has a battery backup. Even in case of power failure, these life-saving machines will definitely work,” she maintained.
While admitting that there was a power failure between 6.20 p.m. and 7.20 p.m. and the two generators malfunctioned, she said that each ventilator could function without power for at least an hour due to battery backup. “The ventilators are serviced every two weeks and reports are submitted to me regarding the equipment,” she claimed.
Dr. Vanitha said the deceased were critically ill with serious head injuries. Two of them began experiencing complications minutes prior to the power cut, and hospital personnel were in the process of reviving them. As many as seven other patients in the ward were alive. “The deaths could not have been caused by ventilator problems,” she asserted.
When asked about the malfunctioning of the generators, she said they failed to work due to lightning during the rain.
Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said she had received a preliminary report from the Dean. “The ventilators are usually functional with backups. I have sought a detailed report in the matter,” she added.
