Gorakhpur tragedy: Oxygen crisis triggered panic in BRD Medical College

It was a catastrophic time at the medical college as doctors scrambled to source oxygen cylinders in the face of a supply crunch.

The oxygen crisis that allegedly led to the death of over 30 children at the BRD Medical College had brought many of the services at the facility to a standstill. Doctors there had informed the district authorities and also asked for help but all in vain, sources said.

A child at the BRD Medical college in Gorakhpur where 30 children have died allegedly due to shortage of oxygen . (HT PHOTO)

It was the SSB hospital and a few private hospitals which came forward to help. The SSB hospital supplied 10 jumbo cylinders to meet the crisis at the BRD Medical College.

The information about oxygen stock getting over was given out the intervening night of Thursday-Friday. One Dr Kafil made an attempt to call up the suppliers and ask for cylinders.

Dr Kafil then went to the SSB hospital on a two-wheeler and informed them about the crisis. The SSB authorities immediately provided 10 cylinders and also provided a truck so that the BRD Medical College can manage more cylinders from other places, sources said. Eventually, around 30 cylinders were procured this way.

But chief medical officer of BRD Medical College Dr Ravindra Kumar said no death took place due to lack of oxygen.

He said that after getting information about deaths allegedly due to lack of oxygen, the college made efforts were made to find out the fact. “The college admitted seven deaths but that were due to illnesses,” he said.

Among the worst affected by the oxygen shortage were the trauma centre, the encephalitis ward, neonatal unit, labour room, emergency medicine ward, medicine ICU and epidemic medicine ward.