Four children died at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar hospital in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur, on Sunday after oxygen supply had stopped for about 30 minutes in the hospital. The attendant on duty had reportedly passed out after he had consumed alcohol.
Ravi Chandra has been suspended from the hospital and police have taken him into custody. According to local media reports, the attendant was found sleeping. The drunk man switched off the oxygen cylinders.
"Yesterday there was a drop in oxygen pressure, there was no cut in oxygen supply. The CMO and Medical Superintendent immediately intervened, and sorted the issue," Health Services Director R Prasanna told ANI.
He further added the deaths didn't happen due to lack of oxygen. Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh has ordered a probe into the death of three babies.
The hospital administration told NDTV that the babies died on a Sunday after oxygen levels dipped for almost half an hour and the attendant on duty, Ravi Chandra, was unaware as he passed out.
Hospital sources have reportedly said the oxygen supply to almost 10 children on the ventilator had stopped leading to the death of three babies. One of the three babies that died reportedly had a heart condition.
As many as 72 children died in Gorakhpur's BRD medical college and hospital of encephalitis over alleged shortage of oxygen supply. Nearly six deaths were reported between August 12 and 14 and five more in the following two days.
An inquiry into the issue uncovered mismanagement on the part of two doctors in handling the logs about the oxygen supply.
