Three patients succumbed on Sunday evening due to a sudden oxygen supply disruption in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Jalandhar Civil Hospital.
The technical snag arose from a malfunction in the hospital’s oxygen plant, causing a temporary halt that proved fatal.
The victims included 15-year-old Archana, suffering from a snake bite, Avtar Lal, a drug overdose patient, and Raju, who was battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to hospital sources, the three passed away within a 35-minute window between 7:15 and 7:50 PM.
Civil Surgeon Dr. Raj Kumar confirmed that the fault was rectified, but the delay led to tragic consequences. “A nine-member committee has been constituted to investigate the oxygen supply line disruption,” he stated, indicating that the matter would be thoroughly probed.
This incident has sparked widespread concern over hospital infrastructure and the urgent need for responsive safety protocols in critical care environments.
