Thane: At least four COVID-19 patients died at a private hospital in the city on Monday, allegedly owing to a shortage of medial oxygen, officials said.
Taking serious note, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asked for a detailed report on the incident from the district authorities and ordered a probe into the matter.
The incident took place at the Vedanta Hospital where the deceased patients were in a critical condition since past few days, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde and Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad said.
Awhad added that Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation Commissioner Pankaj Ashiya will conduct the probe and submit the report.
“Given the situation, the state government is making all possible efforts to tide over the shortage of medical oxygen… We are also procuring oxygen from other states via road, train or flights,” Shinde said.
Targeting the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, former Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kirit Somaiya claimed that 6 patients had died and called for sacking the Health Minister Rajesh Tope.
“In Vedanta Hospital in Thane six persons died due to a defect in oxygen supply. COVID-19 patients dying Maharashtra hospitals due to lack of oxygen or fires is becoming routine in the Thackeray regime. Why Tope is not sacked?” he asked.
Terming it as “a serious issue”, BJP legislator Niranjan Davkhare said that it must be ascertained whether the Vedanta Hospital administration or the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) was responsible for the tragedy.
The latest incident comes after a massive oxygen gas leak in a Nashik civic hospital killed 29 patients on April 21, and a fire in a private hospital in Palghar snuffed out 15 lives on April 23, taking the number of COVID-19 facilities-related deaths to at least 48 in five days.