Man with Down syndrome dies of no oxygen at hospital, alleges family

Lok Nayak Hospital Medical Director denies claim saying that they never ran out of medical oxygen, adds they did their best to save him

Family members of Prashant Sharma, 34, who died at Lok Nayak Hospital on May 1 morning, alleged that he died as there was “no oxygen” available at his bed. “About two-three hours before he died, he pulled the oxygen mask he was wearing and gestured to me by shaking his hand that oxygen was not coming. I also put my finger inside the mask, where the pipe connects to it and there was no pressure. There was no oxygen. He started gasping and then he started falling unconscious. Finally, he took his last breath at 7.47 a.m.,” his sister Meghna Sharma (29), narrated the ordeal from their residence in Krishna Nagar, East Delhi. Mr. Prashant, who had Down syndrome, was admitted to the Lok Nayak Hospital for 25 days with his sister. She said that oxygen supply was irregular from April 21 and his condition deteriorated because of it. “On April 20 or 21 around 1.30 a.m., the oxygen was stopped. There was no pressure at all. For about 47-48 minutes, there was no oxygen. Then it was back, but the pressure was very low. Since then, the oxygen pressure was fluctuating and the hospital added around 8-10 cylinders for 48 patients in the ward,” said Ms. Meghna, adding that CT scan was done on the 16th day of admission, despite several requests.