K'taka: Five patients dead allegedly due to power cut in Ballari's VIMS hospital

It is alleged that five patients died due to a power cut at Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) ICU in Bellari on Wednesday after enduring a 16-hours-long power cut at the hospital.

Ballari(Karnataka):Five people allegedly died due to a power cut at Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) ICU in Bellari on Wednesday after enduring a 16-hours-long power cut at the hospital. The families of the deceased have alleged the patients died due to lack of electricity, though the hospital authorities have denied the claims.

The deceased were identified as Chettamma (30), Maulahusain (38), Chandramma (65), Manoj (18) and Nikhil (8), all of whom were undergoing treatment in the ICU of VIMS Hospital in Ballari. After the hospital experienced a prolonged power cut on Wednesday, all of them died one after the other, allegedly due to the incompetent functioning of the ICU. Four people were declared dead till Wednesday night.

Nikhil, the 8-year-old boy, who was admitted to the intensive care unit of VIMS Hospital, died around 10 am on Wednesday. Son of K. Mahesh and Iramma of Siruguppa, he was admitted to VIMS Hospital on September 11 and was being treated for dengue fever. This matter came to light on Thursday evening.

"My son was admitted to the ICU. He was on a ventilator. But on Wednesday morning when the power went out, all the machines stopped. We asked the staff but they said that the power went out. My son died in a few moments," said mother Iramma.

Nikhil's parents have alleged that the ventilator has stopped due to power failure and the number of people who have died due to lack of oxygen has gone up to 5. The government has already formed an inquiry committee into these deaths and the truth is yet to come out.

Notice has been issued to five people including the superintendent of VIMS. The state government has formed a committee to investigate the incident and brought a report from District Collector Pawan Kumar Malapati and District Health Officer Dr H. L. Janardhan. Later, notices were issued to the Resident health officer, medical superintendent, doctors who were on duty in the intensive care unit and the nursing superintendent.