From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Sep 15: The deaths of three patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), Ballari, were not due to power disruption, clarified Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy in the Assembly on Thursday.

He, however, said the State Government will order a probe into the three deaths in the ICU of the government hospital in Ballari and promised to table a report in the House after the investigation.

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah raised the issue of deaths of patients in VIMS following disruption in power supply and blamed the hospital director, the district administration and the government for its negligence.

Ballary district-in-charge minister B Sriramulu, who is also the transport minister, said the hospital has generator, and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) device and three patients died not due to power disruptions.

One of the patients Maula Hussein was suffering from chronic kidney disease, and Chettemma was a snake-bite victim, died. One more woman patient died due to severe illness, the minister said.

Siddaramaiah dubbed the death of patients as "the government sponsored murders" and demanded compensation of Rs 25 lac each to each families.

He also demanded action against the hospital director and officials concerned. Compensation of Rs 25 lac was given in the murder of a youth and similar policy to be extended to the family of three patients.

Madhuswamy took exception to words “government sponsored murders” and said he did not expect Siddaramaiah, a former chief Mminister, to speak in such terms as it would demoralize the government staff.