Oxygen Supply Failure at Jalandhar Hospital Leads to Three Deaths; Three Doctors Suspended

Jalandhar, Punjab – Three senior doctors have been suspended after a sudden drop in oxygen pressure at Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Civil Hospital in Jalandhar led to the deaths of three patients on ventilator support. The incident took place on July 27 in the hospital’s trauma centre.

The deceased patients include a 15-year-old boy undergoing treatment for a snake bite, a patient admitted for drug overdose, and a tuberculosis patient. All three reportedly lost consciousness within minutes during the oxygen supply failure.

Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh confirmed the incident and the subsequent suspensions of Dr. Raj Kumar (Medical Superintendent), Dr. Surjit Singh (Senior Medical Officer), and Dr. Sonakshi (Consultant Anaesthetist).

Minister Singh called the lapse “an unpardonable act” and conducted a personal inspection of the hospital. He ordered a technical audit of the central oxygen system and warned that the suspended doctors may face dismissal if the investigation confirms negligence.

Hospital authorities acknowledged a brief drop in oxygen pressure but claimed that backup cylinders were activated promptly. However, family members of the deceased patients contested this account, stating that alarms were sounding and ventilator monitors flat-lined while staff scrambled to respond.

The Punjab government has formed a three-member fact-finding committee to investigate the incident. The team has been tasked with reviewing maintenance records, identifying technical faults, and recommending preventive measures. The final report is expected within 48 hours. Authorities also stated that decisions on compensation for the families would follow the investigation.

The tragedy has renewed scrutiny of infrastructure in public hospitals. The state government recently allocated ₹35 crore for upgrades to oxygen plants and monitoring systems in government healthcare facilities.

This incident adds to wider concerns about reliability in India’s public health systems, especially after similar gaps were exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Rh/Eth/DJR/MSM/SE)