The Uttar Pradesh government has released an order to seal Paras Hospital in Agra after an old video of the proprietor admitting to having snapped the oxygen supply to critical patients on the 26th of April went viral on social media. However, in a latest interview to news agency ANI, Dr Arinjay Jain owner of the Paras Hospital has refuted all claims.
Reports had suggested that 22 patients had lost their lives due to a ‘mock drill’ conducted by the hospital to ascertain which patient is in actual need of oxygen. The hospital authorities, however, suggest that the news of deaths are baseless.
“There was mock drill. We conducted a clinical assessment to check how we can maintain a patient at minimum level of oxygen. News of 22 deaths are baseless,” informed Dr Arinjay Jain.
#WATCH | Dr Arinjay Jain, owner of Agra’s Paras Hospital, who is in centre of a controversy over a viral video, says, “There was mock drill. We conducted a clinical assessment to check how we can maintain a patient at minimum level of oxygen. News of 22 deaths are baseless”. pic.twitter.com/8UZNBiwVzQ
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 8, 2021
In the video tweeted by Livehindustan on May 7, the owner of Paras Hospital could be heard telling some people that the drill was conducted because of an acute shortage of oxygen and the patients’ family members were not ready to discharge their patients despite multiple requests.
#UttarPradesh : #Agra के हॉस्पिटल का #VideoViral : पांच मिनट की मॉक ड्रिल और छंट गए 22 मरीज, जांच के आदेश pic.twitter.com/h8qehqHeEb
— Hindustan (@Live_Hindustan) June 7, 2021
Agra DM issues clarification
Prabhu N Singh the DM of Agra city informed that the hospital faced no shortage of oxygen on April 28, the day the viral video was shot.
“Agra is a small city. There would an outcry if 22 patients die at a hospital. No patients died due to oxygen shortage that day,” informed DM on the Paras Hospital matter.
In the video, he said there was no oxygen production at Modinagar plant, which is not true. He has been booked under epidemic act & Section 188 of IPC because such talks create fear among public. The hospital will be sealed after moving hospital patients: Agra DM Prabhu N Singh
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 8, 2021
“In the video, he said there was no oxygen production at Modinagar plant, which is not true. He has been booked under epidemic act & Section 188 of IPC because such talks create fear among public,” Singh added.
Patients being admitted to other hospitals
According to reports, all the 55 patients currently being treated at the Paras Hospital have been asked to shift to another hospital. Once the process is over, the hospital will be sealed by the authorities.
Families of patients struggle to shift patients
An attendant of a patient admitted to Paras Hospital informed, “Our patient was admitted in Hospital’s ICU 2 days ago. He’s on oxygen support. Hospital administration has handed over patient’s file & asked to take the patient to another hospital.” She said she does not know where to take the patient now.
Our patient was admitted here 15 days ago & there’s no improvement in the condition. We have been asked to sign the patient’s discharge document in order to recieved the file. We don’t know where to take patient: Lal Kumar Chouhan, Attendant of a patient at Paras Hospital (08.06) pic.twitter.com/WSLGzDTMxq
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 8, 2021
Lal Kumar Chouhan whose patient was admitted to the hospital 15 days ago revealed that there was no improvement in the patient’s condition and now they have been asked to admit the patient elsewhere.
“My father had a surgery yesterday & he’s yet to be healed. In this critical condition, where do I take him? I urge the administration to give us some time,” informed another attendant.
Agra | My father had a surgery yesterday & he’s yet to be healed. In this critical condition, where do I take him? I urge the administration to give us some time: Attendant of a patient at Paras Hospital (08.06) pic.twitter.com/9tXf2QDSpp
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 8, 2021
State authorities assured action against Paras Hospital if video is confirmed to be genuine
When asked, the chief medical officer of the Agra district, Dr RC Pandey, had said that they have taken cognisance of the video and a committee has been constituted to investigate the issue.
UP Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh had also confirmed receiving the complaint and had assured that the state administration would look into the video and take necessary action against the hospital if the video is confirmed to be genuine.
