18 patients die in Chennai hospital

Eighteen patients died in a private hospital here allegedly due to flooding of generator room and resultant snap of oxygen supply even as the Tamil Nadu government today indicated that it would probe the matter.

The medical institution has declined to comment. Over the past several days when rains ravaged the city, a well known private hospital on the banks of the Adyar river in Manapakkanam here witnessed flooding in parts of its premises.

As there was no electricity, the hospital was run on generator. Speaking to reporters, some relatives of those dead alleged that those on life support like ventilator and oxygen could not be continuously given such backup as the generator room was flooded.

The private health authorities remained inaccessible.
"Out of 75 ICU patients in that hospital, 57 ventilator patients were moved out. The remaining patients died over the past two three days. Let us not jump the gun to say that the patients died due to power failure," Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan told reporters.

He said, however, the government was probing the issue.
To another question, he said, "If it was so all the ICU patients would have died. 575 patients have been moved out of that hospital," he said acknowledging that there was flooding and power cut in that particular hospital.

"All government hospitals were up and running. We are taking patients from all hospitals on need basis," he said.

Patients needing support are being shifted to large state-run hospitals with facilities, he said.
"92 additional mobile medical teams have been dispatched across the city for such purposes," he said.

The Health Secretary said that he along with the Health Minister visited another private hospital, which is also flooded, and shifted babies on ventilator to a government facility.
"Let us not unnecessarily create panic. But we will also go through records," he said