Patient dies after family members unplug ventilator to plug in cooler

Kota: A 40-year-old man died at a government hospital in Rajasthan’s Kota after his family members allegedly unplugged the ventilator he was on to plug in an air cooler.

He was suspected to be suffering from COVID-19 and admitted at ICU in the Maharao Bhim Singh (MBS) Hospital on June 13. His test report, however, came negative later.

Hospital authorities said a three-member committee will probe the incident.

The man was shifted to an isolation ward on June 15 as a safety measure after another patient in the ICU tested positive for the disease.

Since it was very hot in the isolation ward, his family members bought an air cooler the same day. On finding no socket for the cooler, they allegedly unplugged the ventilator but almost half-an-hour later, the ventilator ran out of power.

They immediately informed doctors and medical staff, who administered CPR upon the patient, but he died.

Hospital superintendent Dr Naveen Saxena said the committee comprising the deputy superintendent, nursing superintendent and chief medical officer on duty will probe the incident and submit the report on Saturday.

The committee has recorded statements of medical staff in the isolation ward but the family members of the deceased patient are not responding to the panel, he alleged.

The doctor said action would be taken against whosoever is found responsible in the probe report.

Hospital deputy superintendent Dr Sameer Tandon refused to comment on findings by the committee citing that a probe was underway.

The isolation ward is furnished with a medical station with 4-5 medical staff and a resident doctor on duty.

The family members allegedly did not seek permission to plug in the cooler and when the patient died, they “misbehaved” with the medical staff and the resident doctor on duty, the hospital authorities said.