The Health department of Tripura government Sunday claimed that the death of a patient in the emergency of Mohanpur health centre under West Tripura district in absence of oxygen support is not correct and a high-level team led by Health Secretary visited the hospital to enquire about the incident.

On Saturday early morning,  one patient named Dipankar Debnath from Jagatpur was brought in the emergency of Mohanpur CHC in unconscious state with a complain of shortness of breathing and profuse sweating, but after 15-minutes treatment, patient died on the emergency of the hospital and his son alleged that his father died in absence of oxygen support.

The Health department in its statement over the death of patient Dipankar Debnath said that during that time three intern doctors, 1 general duty medical officer (GDMO) and 1 nursing officer were on duty in the CHC. In that facility 4 Medical Officers (Allo) along with 5 Internee Doctors and 2 PGs are posted.

Health department  statement added that “on examination the blood pressure was noted 90/60, SPO2 44% and pulse 64/mint were recorded. The patient was treated with nebulization. Inj Atropine and Dexona were administered and oxygen support through an oxygen cylinder was given in the emergency room in presence of on duty GDMO.”

During 4:35 AM the vitals of the patient were non detectable and at 4:40 AM he was declared as dead, said the statement.

“The son of the deceased was previously working as security personnel in the Mohanpur CHC from 2019 to 2021 under the agency named SIS and terminated by the very agency. He was well aware of the hospital system from his previous work experience in the hospital and his proactiveness to establish the oxygen support on his own damaged the connection of one oxygen concentrator on that day. At that time there were another two functional oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders in the emergency. The patient was put on oxygen support by the on-duty Nursing Officer utilizing the oxygen cylinder,” said statement.

It added that in the health facilities as per protocol the patients are initially being stabilized prior referral to higher centers, if needed. In this case, in spite of having all the facilities of referral due to a short span of time it was not possible to refer the patient to a higher center as the patient expired within 15 minutes after reporting to the emergency.

The allegation of not having oxygen support in the hospital is not true, as at that time two oxygen concentrators and refilled oxygen cylinders were functioning in the emergency unit, said the Health department statement.

Department also alleged that in this case the family members of the deceased assaulted the on duty Internee Doctor and security personnel and a complaint has already lodged at a police station in this regard.

The Health department on Sunday morning, a team led by Health Secretary  Kiran Gittet along with Dr. Anjan Das, Director of Family Welfare & Preventive Medicine, Dr. Nirmal Sarkar, Joint Director, Dr. Ranjan Biswas, CMO West District, and Dr. Nupur Debbarma, Member Secretary NHM, visited the Mohanpur CHC and investigated the matter.