Four patients died in quick succession in the Acute Medical Care (AMC) unit at Kurnool General Hospital on Monday creating a tension on the campus. Activists of some political parties staged a dharna and gheraoed the Superintendent of the hospital, K Ramachandra, accusing the staff of being negligent in ensuring uninterrupted supply of oxygen to the patients. They claimed that sudden shortage of oxygen caused the deaths, which had been denied by the medical staff.

Health Minister Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, who visited the hospital following the episode, denied that the cause of death of four patients was the lack of oxygen supply. “A preliminary inquiry into the incident has revealed that there was no shortage of oxygen. One patient admitted to the Acute Medical Care was suffering from kidney failure, the second from liver failure, the third from multi-vascular dysfunction and the fourth had consumed pesticide,” he said.

It was not true that they died due to the non-availability of oxygen, the minister said. He, however, hastened to add there could have been negligence on the part of the duty doctors in attending to the patients. A full-scale inquiry into the incident was being conducted by Chief Executive Officer of the Kurnool Zilla Parishad Sasibhushan Kumar and Director of Medical Education Srinath, he said.

Alimireddy (45), of Puttur in Ananthapur district, was admitted to the ward with complaints of cirrhosis of liver, acute renal failure and pulmonary tuberculosis. He died around 8 am on Monday. Another patient Sheikshavali of Nagasamudram in Ananthapur with acute renal failure and Venkatalakshmi (45) of Jupadu Bungalow with the complaint of valve disease died around the same time. At 9.50 am, Nagabhuswhnam of Nannur, who was undergoing treatment for poison consumption, also died

According to Bhavani Prasad, in-charge of the AMC, said there was no relation between oxygen shortage. He said the central suction and the central oxygen units were installed after the AMC came into being recently. He said 18 oxygen cylinders were ready in the storeroom at any moment. There was no need even to shift the cylinders, but one had to switch on the cylinders after removing the empty ones. Referring to the four deaths, he said all the four cases were critical and the patients' relatives were explained about the dim chances of their survival.