Gorakhpur district magistrate, Rajeev Rautela, has conceded in his inquiry report that oxygen supply was indeed low at BRD Medical Collegere, where more than 100 children have died in little over a week’s time.
Rautela, in his report has held the then principal Dr R K Mishra and head of anaesthesia department, Dr Satish Kumar, responsible for the mess while questioning their absence on 10 August. He also blamed Pushpa Sales responsible for the supply of liquid oxygen. Rautela, who’s believed to be close to Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Aditynanath, has also highlighted corruption in the procurement process of oxygen for the hospital.
Adityanath, while visiting the hospital in his hometown had removed Dr Kafeel Khan despite his efforts to have saved the lives of many children through his personal initiatives.
The report has found that there was overwriting in the log book related to purchase of oxygen for the hospital.
“There are multiple instances of overwriting in the stock book of oxygen cylinder at the BRD hospital. Even the log book which is supposed to be maintained by Dr Satish Kumar never had any signature or thumb impressions,” the report said.
More than 100 children have died since 10 August at the Gorakhpur hospital. Adityanath had visited the hospital on 9 August.
Since then, the state government and the local administration have been issuing contradictory statements on the cause of the deaths. The statement government had originally denied the stop in oxygen supply as the reason for children’s deaths.
The parents who lost their loved ones, were forced to carry the children’s dead bodies wrapped in towels in auto-rickshaws as the hospital authorities did not conduct post-mortem and provide ambulance facilities to the grieving families.
One parent from Bihar, whose child died at the hospital, has filed a complaint with the police blaming the state’s health minister, Sidharth Nath Singh for the death of his child.
Singh had made insensitive comments stating that children’s deaths in August were regular affair every August.
Janta Ka Reporter is in possession of the report submitted by the DM. Here are the key findings of the report:
- Oxygen supplier firm, Pushpa Sales, halted the supply of liquid oxygen. The firm is responsible for this because they shouldn’t have done this as the supply of oxygen was key to saving the children’s lives.
- Dr Kafeel Khan (Nodal 100 Bed AES Ward) said that he had informed Dr Satish Kumar in writing about the AC not working but it wasn’t repaired in timeliness manner. Dr Satish Kumar was also absent from the hospital on 11 August without any notice. Dr Satish is also responsible for ensuring the uninterrupted supply of oxygen at the hospital.
- Dr Satish and the chief phramacist, Dr Gajanand Jaiswal are responsible for maintaining the log book of oxygen cylinders. They did not maintain the log book properly and there was overwriting in the book.
- Dr Rajeev Mishra was absent from the hospital on 10 August. Dr Satish was also absent without approval on 11 August because he had gone to Mumbai. If these two officers had acted in timeliness manner to deal with the crisis, such situation would not have arisen.