Dark disaster averted at Bhatia

Problems were created for 68-year-old Urmilaben Parikh, suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and on a heart-lung machine in the hospital ICU. She had to be transferred to another hospital subsequently. Her family has filed a complaint against Bhatia at the Tardeo police station. Stated her grandson Urshit Parikh, “The loss of life-support systems in the hospital has negated recovery and brought my grandmother to the brink of death. The hospital could not start the emergency back-up generator because it did not have enough diesel.”

The power failure at 10.30 pm had affected all of Tardeo. When power supply was later restored, the main electric switch of the hospital caught fire, probably due to a strong current. BEST and fire brigade personnel were summoned and the fire was extinguished. Said Dr B R Kalke, Bhatia’s medical director, “In case of power failure, the generator automatically takes over emergency areas like the ICU, ICCU, PICU etc. Unfortunately, the battery was not charged enough last night and the generator would not take off. With the help of BEST personnel, we ensured electric supply in such vital areas.”

However, Urmilaben’s family alleges that her heart-lung machine failed to work even after power was restored. “After calling various ICCUs, we got her a bed and a ventilator in Kothari hospital. We carried her down two storeys pumping oxygen all the way. It was dark and raining heavily. She had a miraculous escape,” said Urmilaben’s son, adding, “We were asked to sign a declaration that the hospital would not be responsible if the patient lost her life during the transfer. But staying on at Bhatia was risky as well.”

Dr A M Bhagwati, ICU incharge, claims that the ventilator was working but was noisy. “One can never be sure with a machine. It could have created problems later. So to be on the safe side, we agreed to the family’s decision to shift the patient.” Dr Bhagwati says the declaration is a normal procedure in such cases.

Another lady whose father-in-law is in the ICU described it as a scary experience. However, the patient has been unconscious for the last 15 days and his condition remains unchanged. Said the wife of another patient in the ICU, “It was a terrible experience and everyone naturally panicked. But we could see that the hospital staff was doing all that it could in the given circumstances.”

Till the evening of November 12, most areas including the burns unit on the first floor of the 300-bed hospital were lit only by candles. As the lifts were not in order, patients were being carried on chairs down the staircase. “We have replaced the battery and the generator should be on soon,” said Dr Kalke.