Complaint Filed Against King Koti Hospital

Yesterday, at least seven people receiving treatment for Covid-19 at the King Koti Hospital in Hyderabad reportedly lost their lives due to the lack of availability of medical oxygen at the facility.

The oxygen tank at the hospital, a dedicated Covid-19 treatment centre, began to show signs of deficit at about 3:00 pm. While there was a tanker that was on its way from Jadcherla to refill the hospital's tank, its arrival was delayed as the driver reportedly lost his way en route.

The delay caused great panic at the hospital, and prompted the Narayanaguda police to trace the tanker and guide it to the facility. After this, officials reported, the tanker finally reached its destination at about 3:30 pm. However, by that point, seven critically ill patients had already lost their lives.

Following the incident, a complaint was today lodged with the state's Human Rights Commission over the deaths by Telangana BC Welfare Association General Secretary Rachala Yugandhar Goud. In his complaint, he said that the Principal Secretary (Health), the Hyderabad DMHO Superintendent and the nodal officer of the King Koti Hospital were accountable for the deaths, and urged the Commission to take action against the three officials.

Further, Goud also appealed to the human rights body to issue directions to the state government to provide all the basic Covid-19 treatment facilities to every hospital in Telangana, and urged the commission to issue directives that would prevent any similar incidents in the future. He also demanded that the government be asked to pay Rs 25 lakh as compensation to the bereaved families.