Jaipur, May 15 (IANS): After three persons allegedly lost their lives due to reduced oxygen pressure at the Rajasthan University for Health Services (RUHS) in Jaipur, state Health Minister Raghu Sharma formed a five-member committee to probe the incident, which on Saturday cited ‘severity of disease to be the reason for their deaths.

After the deaths were reported on Friday, Medical Education Secretary Vaibhav Galaria formed the five-member committee on the directions of Sharma, which included medical experts Ajit Singh, P.S. Lamba, Pawan Singhal, Vedpal Singh and Hemedra Bhardwaj.

RUHS Superintendent Ajit Singh claimed that oxygen pressure was normal at the facility and when the three patients died, 24 others were on oxygen support, 60 were on HFNC and 442 were on oxygen line. Had the pressure been low, they all would have suffered, he said.

The three patients who died were reportedly in a serious condition and the hospital staff were trying to save them for the last few days.

The relative of one of the patients started screaming when he saw the oxygen saturation level fluctuating, even as the staff immediately attended the patients. Additional oxygen cylinders were also arranged but they could not be saved, Singh said.

A detailed inquiry into the matter clarified that the three did not die due to reduced oxygen pressure.