Gorakhpur hospital tragedy: BRD college didn’t report oxygen scarcity issue, principal suspended: UP govt

Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh on Saturday reiterated that deaths of children in Gorakhpur's BRD college hospital were not caused due to disruption in oxygen supply but medical reasons.

"We have come to the conclusion that the deaths of children in the hospital did not take place due to the shortage of gas in the hospital,” state Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh said addressing a press conference.

Minister for medical education Ashutosh Tandon, who was also present during the press conference, said a high-level probe headed by principal secretary has been ordered and Principal of BRD medical college Rajeev Kumar Mishra suspended for negligence. However, doctors claimed that he had already resigned after the incident.

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Acknowledging that there were some payment issues with the oxygen supplier firm, Siddharth Nath said the matter was not raised by the hospital during Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit on August 9.

"Chief Minister Yogi Adityanathji had visited the BRD Medical College on 9 August and had held consultations with various officials, But no one had raised the issue of the shortage of oxygen in the hospital," he said.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad accusing BJP-led UP govt of lying and hiding facts said that he is assured the deaths of children were caused due to disruption in oxygen supply.

He said, doctors have alerted about the issue but authorities didn’t pay any heed.

He asked Yogi Adityanath to apologise to the parents of children who died in the horrific incident.

He also demanded, probe panel headed by Supreme Court judge and an all-party delegation to visit the hospital for fair investigation.

In a heart-wrenching incident, at least 33 children were died in Gorakhpur’s BRD medical college in last 36 hours due to disruption in liquid oxygen supply.