Oxygen supply disruptions kill patients in Satkhira

We are shocked and saddened to hear of the deaths of at least five Covid-19 patients in Satkhira Medical College Hospital after disruptions to their oxygen supply on Wednesday night. According to hospital employees, there was a dip in gas pressure in the evening since the vendor had failed to deliver the oxygen on time. An official of the vendor has affirmed that the delay was caused at the Benapole Port, through which the company imports oxygen to Bangladesh from India. We are yet to receive any information on what caused this delay.

A report in this daily suggests that on average, the hospital needs around 6,000 litres a day. Hospital officials said they have a 20,000-litre oxygen reservoir, but they informed the supplier on Wednesday morning when the reserve came down to 2,400 litres. Why did they not make attempts to refill the reservoir before it became so critically low? Given the current situation in Satkhira, where the positivity rate was still as high as 42 percent on June 30, why were prior arrangements not made to ensure that the hospital has a continuous and adequate store of oxygen supply?

The civil surgeon of Satkhira has suggested that the dip in oxygen cannot be the reason behind the deaths of patients since necessary oxygen cylinders were added to ensure uninterrupted supply and the pressure went down for only 15-20 minutes. However, a patient's son told The Daily Star that his father died from breathing difficulties soon after the supply was interrupted. These families have suffered a devastating loss, and their concerns should not be dismissed. The death of even one person from a lack of oxygen supply should be treated with the utmost gravity.

Unfortunately, in the face of burgeoning Covid-19 infections, such incidents are becoming increasingly common. The news of the Satkhira incident was quickly followed by another report, on Friday, saying that seven patients had died of coronavirus within 13 hours at Bogura's specialised Government Mohammad Ali Hospital. Relatives have complained that patients died due to a lack of adequate oxygen support.

We urge the authorities to conduct immediate investigations into the causes of deaths of these patients and ensure that such failures do not occur again. It is clear that we are now smack in the middle of the second wave of Covid-19 in Bangladesh. Within the past week or so, we have seen the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases in the country, as well as the highest daily death toll. Given the severity of the situation, smooth operations at hospitals across the country, especially in the districts most affected, should be the government's number one priority. Now is the time for the authorities to put all their weight behind our overburdened health sector and ensure that the hospitals are able to operate at capacity and beyond.