40-Yr-Old Man Dies In Rajasthan Hospital After Family Unplugs Ventilator To Plug In Air Cooler

A man died in Rajasthan's Maharao Bhim Singh (MBS) Hospital after his family allegedly unplugged the ventilator he was on, to plug in an air cooler. The man, 40, was admitted to the hospital on June 13 as he was suspected to have contracted COVID-19 infection, but his test report later came negative.

A three-member committee will probe the incident, hospital authorities said.

On June 15, the man was shifted to an isolation ward as a safety measure, after another patient in the ICU was found to be COVID-19 positive.

The isolation ward being very hot, his family brought an air cooler. They allegedly unplugged the ventilator after they failed to find a socket to plug in the cooler. The ventilator ran out of power almost half-an-hour later.

Doctors and medical staff were immediately informed. Although CPR was performed upon the patient, he eventually died.

Hospital superintendent Dr Naveen Saxena said that the incident will be probed by the committee comprising the deputy superintendent, nursing superintendent and chief medical officer on duty. He alleged that the deceased's family members are not responding to the panel, but statements of medical staff in the isolation ward have been recorded by the committee.

Action would be taken again whoever is found responsible for the action, the doctor said.

The Indian Express reported that the isolation ward of the hospital is furnished with a medical station with 4-5 medical staff and a resident doctor on duty.

Hospital authorities alleged that the deceased's family members did not seek permission to plug in the cooler. When the patient died, they allegedly "misbehaved" with the medical staff and the resident doctor on duty.

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