PCMSA offers to join probe in Civil Hospital death case
Softening its stance over the suspensions/dismissal of four doctors following three deaths at the Jalandhar Civil Hospital, the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) on Friday declared to participate in the Health Department’s ongoing probe into the issue.
The PCMSA declared that an association member would join the state investigation, as the members were optimistic about a fair probe in view of the Home Minister’s recent declarations. The association also reiterated its demand for compensation to victims’ families.
Having earlier announced an alternate probe to look into the hospital deaths and the “scapegoating” of doctors; the PCMSA’s changed stance comes in the wake of Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh’s extension of invitation to the association to join the probe panel. The minister had also promised a fair and impartial probe. A PCMSA delegation visited the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar, this morning and obtained feedback from doctors.
Youth Cong to file PIL
The Punjab Youth Congress has announced that it will file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) tomorrow in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, following back-to-back failures of oxygen plants at government hospitals in Punjab, which have already claimed three lives in Jalandhar and now threaten patients’ safety in Kapurthala.
On July 27, three patients – including a 15-year-old girl, a 32-year-old drug overdose patient, and another critically ill man – died in Jalandhar Civil Hospital after oxygen supply was disrupted for nearly 30 minutes. Preliminary reports revealed untrained staffs were operating the oxygen plant, alarms were non-functional and no postmortems were conducted, raising concerns of a potential cover-up.
Days later, Kapurthala Civil Hospital’s PSA oxygen plant stopped functioning, forcing patients to rely on backup cylinders. Families fear a repeat of the Jalandhar tragedy as no statewide safety checks have been carried out despite earlier assurances by the Punjab Health Department.
Angad Dutta, secretary, Punjab Youth Congress, who recently submitted a complaint to Jalandhar’s Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP) demanding registration of an FIR against negligent officials, said, “Hospitals are meant to save lives, not take them. Three people died due to gross negligence in Jalandhar and now Kapurthala faces the same risk. This is not an accident – it’s a failure of governance. We will take this fight to the High Court tomorrow to ensure accountability and systemic reforms.”
The Youth Congress has demanded an immediate FIR against hospital authorities responsible for the deaths, a judicial inquiry monitored by the HC into both incidents and a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each for the bereaved families besides emergency safety audits of all government hospital oxygen plants and ICU systems within seven days. The party has vowed to continue its campaign until the officials responsible are punished and citizens can feel safe in government hospitals.
Jalandhar