Nashik (Maharashtra)| A horrific incident has come to light in Nashik, Maharashtra. At least 22 patients have died on ventilator at Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) hospital due to leakage of oxygen supply here. Officials gave this information on Wednesday. The incident took place at the Dr Zakir Hussain Hospital, run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled NMC, which is one of the largest civic bodies in the state. Nashik has currently emerged as one of the largest Kovid-19 hotspots in the state.
Oxygen leakage occurred due to some technical reasons and 22 patients placed on ventilator beds succumbed due to lack of oxygen due to its supply being stopped.
When this incident happened, around 150 patients were being treated in the hospital on oxygen beds and more than two dozen patients were being treated on ventilator beds.
Meanwhile, the state Health Minister Rajesh Tope, while disclosing the reasons for the death of 22 people, said that 22 people died due to low oxygen pressure on the ventilator. The Health Minister called it a very serious incident.
The shocked family members have accused the civil authorities of negligence after the deaths. NMC Municipal Commissioner Kailash Jadhav has ordered an inquiry into the incident and assured of action against all the culprits.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that he was stunned to learn about the tragedy at Nashik Hospital. He expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
Shiv Sena leader and Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray, an aide of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), expressed grief over the incident and assured that the incident would be investigated.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar mourned the tragedy and assured a high-level inquiry.
Congress state spokesperson Sachin Sawant demanded a thorough investigation into the tragedy and punished all those found guilty.
Sawant said in a statement, “The hospital is managed by NMC, which is under BJP rule. BJP should take responsibility. Where are BJP’s mayor and 3 BJP MLAs?”
Tope has left for Nashik to assess the situation along with his cabinet colleague Chhagan Bhujbal and other senior political leaders.
BJP’s Leader of Opposition (Council) Praveen Darekar attacked the MVA government and demanded a case against NMC Commissioner Jadhav. He held her completely responsible for the incident.
To control the outrage and uproar that followed the incident, Nashik police have tightened security around the hospital premises.
