Jalandhar Hospital Deaths: House Surgeon sacked, 3 doctors suspended

Jalandhar: Following the tragic deaths of three patients on ventilators, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh announced the suspension of three senior doctors and the dismissal of a house surgeon, citing “gross negligence” in handling an oxygen supply disruption at the Jalandhar Civil Hospital.

Medical Dialogues recently reported that in a tragic incident, three critically ill patients died at the Trauma Ward of the Civil Hospital in Jalandhar last week following a sudden drop in oxygen supply, reportedly due to a technical fault in the hospital’s oxygen plant.

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A detailed inquiry into the incident will be conducted, and the three suspended doctors -- medical superintendent, senior medical officer, and consultant anesthetist-- may face removal or dismissal from service, the minister informed while addressing the media here on Wednesday. Singh described the incident as an "unpardonable act", reports PTI.

According to Tribune India, “All three doctors have been placed under suspension. A detailed inquiry is being conducted and they are likely to be dismissed and will lose all benefits of service,” said the Health Minister, adding that exemplary punishment would be given for this “unpardonable” administrative failure.

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The House Surgeon at Jalandhar Civil Hospital has been dismissed from service on charges of gross dereliction of duty. Authorities allege that he left the hospital premises without prior permission. His absence coincided with a critical technical failure in the hospital’s oxygen plant on Sunday evening, which led to a sudden disruption in oxygen supply. Tragically, the incident resulted in the deaths of three critically ill patients.

According to the Health Minister, preliminary investigations revealed that although the hospital had more than adequate infrastructure and backup systems — including a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plant with dual compressors, a manifold system with 18-20 oxygen cylinders, and a liquid medical oxygen plant — the incident occurred due to irresponsible handling by staff. The critical drop in oxygen pressure fatally affected three already critical patients. Speaking to PTI, the Minister said, "When I got the news, I was so upset and I reached the hospital immediately to take stock of the situation. It was an unpardonable act."

Dr Balbir Singh stated that the negligence was purely administrative. He pointed out that the hospital had 49 internal medical officers, 46 DNB doctors, 14 house surgeons, and 17 medical officers — sufficient to ensure one doctor per bed. However, lives were lost due to sheer dereliction of duty.

He also emphasised that healthcare and education had always been prioritised in the state by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, and that there was no shortage of funds for these sectors.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister has issued strict directives to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply and power backup in all critical care units, including ICUs, operation theatres (OTs), and emergency wards across all government health facilities in the state. “All government hospitals should have 24x7 oxygen availability, functional UPS systems with 30-minute back-up, and fully operational generator sets for critical equipment. There will be no excuse for such lapses,” he said, reports the Tribune.

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