2 docs sacked, 1 suspended

The Delhi government on Thursday dismissed two doctors, suspended a medical officer and transferred the deputy medical superintendent of the Sushrut Trauma Centre following the enquiry reports. Four patients died at the Delhi government-run hospital on Tuesday following snapping of oxygen supply to the ICU. The fifth patient, who was admitted in the ICU, died on Wednesday. Delhi health minister A.K. Walia has terminated the services of two doctors — Teena Khurana and Richa Gupta. Both were incharge of the ICU at the time of the incident. Mr Walia also transferred additional medical superintendent of the hospital Dr Ramphal. “Medical officer in charge of repair and maintenance Dr Anshuman has been placed under suspension,” he said. The action came after the enquiry committee submitted the report in which they found four of the hospital employees guilty on different levels. The government has also terminated the contract of the private entity which was maintaining the oxygen supply system in the hospital. The government had on Tuesday set up a probe panel headed by special secretary in health department S.B. Shashank. “An FIR has already been registered with the police against the delinquent contractor and directions have been issued to initiate cancellation of the contract. Two persons have also been arrested. Further, the process of black-listing the contractor is also being initiated,” he said. Meanwhile, son of the deceased Vikram, 63, who died a day after the incident, alleged that his father died on the same day in the ICU but the doctors pretended that he is alive. “My father died with rest of the four victims but the doctors kept us in dark by putting him on ventilator,” alleged Ombir, son of the deceased. In a related development, a magisterial court here sent the two arrested persons, Madanlal and Amit, to 14-day judicial custody.