Power outage during surgery at Punjab hospital stirs row
What's the story
A power outage in the operation theater of Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, Punjab, during a surgery has sparked controversy.
The incident came to light after a video filmed by a doctor present during the procedure went viral on social media platforms.
In the video, an unconscious patient can be seen on the surgical bed while the doctor explains power fluctuations persisted for 15 minutes, causing the ventilator to stop working.
Video revelation
Doctor's video contradicts official claims about power backup
The doctor in the video raised concerns about patient safety and said this wasn't an isolated incident.
The video also contradicted official claims that the hospital's emergency ward was connected to a dedicated power hotline.
Responding to the viral video, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh addressed the incident on his official X handle, saying, "The power backup systems at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, are multi-level (3 hotlines) and functioning without issue."
Minister's response
Health minister attributes outage to local fault, defends backup
Singh explained that a local fault led to a brief electricity loss but claimed the UPS and generator backup worked seamlessly.
He assured that the surgery went on without a hitch and the patient was recovering well.
Singh noted that "a junior doctor panicked and recorded a video," emphasizing that medical staff should focus on patient care at all times.
Political backlash
Former health minister criticizes government's response
Former Health Minister Balbir Singh Sadhu slammed the government on his official X handle.
He called the situation "extremely shocking" and slammed Punjab's health model under Bhagwant Mann's leadership.
Sadhu wrote, "One of the premier hospitals of Punjab is facing an electricity issue. Bhagwant Mann Ji has made patients' lives a joke!"
He accused Mann and the Health Minister of prioritizing upcoming Delhi elections over Punjab's issues.