SAHIWAL: Parents of three infants who died at the paediatrics ward of the DHQ Teaching Hospital here on Saturday night claimed the suffocation caused by nonfunctional air-conditioning system had caused the deaths.

Health officials, however, rejected their claim and said only one AC out of eleven went out of order for a couple of hours and that the infants died due to medical reasons.

When the parents held demonstration, DC Muhamamd Zaman Wattoo rushed to the hospital and negotiated with protesters along with MS Shahid Nazir .

As electronic media reported the matter, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took notice and ordered an inquiry.

On Sunday, a two-member committee headed by Additional Secretary Health Rafaqat Ali reached the DHQ Teaching Hospital.

Talking to newsmen, Rafqat Ali said the electronic media reporting was not based on facts. “One cannot club together cause of three infants’ death with the AC system failure.”

He said the air-conditioning system was functional in the paediatrics ward even on Saturday night and Sunday.

It is learnt inquiry team interviewed parents, paramedical staff and medical officers of the paediatrica ward. MS Dr Sahahid Nazir said out of 11 ACs, 10 were working smoothly. He said the 11th was also fixed in two hours on Saturday night.

The hospital management said infants Ali Hasan was having asphyxia (lungs’ disease), Ishfaq’s case was of premature birth with respiratory distrust syndrome disease, while third Imran was having meningitis and malnutrition problems.

The MS said one of the babies was brought to the DHQ from a private clinic in emergency.

Mr Rafaqat Ali said electronic media reported deaths of eight infants but actuality only three infants had expired at the hospital in 24 hours.

Dawn learnt from sources the DC in his initial report held Luqman Tabish, bio-metric engineer, responsible for the nonfunctional AC and recommended his “suspension”.

Mr. Rafaqat said he would submit his report within 24 hours to the Heath Secretary.

It is learnt the paedriactics ward has 20 beds while there were 44 children under treatment on Sunday.

Rejecting opposition tanunts, Punjab government spokesman Shahbaz Gill said two of the three infants had been brought to the hospital in critical condition Earlier, the PML-N chided the PTI’s Punjab government for the Sahiwal hospital incident.

Using her Twitter account, PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz Sharif regretted that the ‘bogus’ rulers busy in performing Umra at official expenses should have been here.

In a following tweet, she said the incident made the people miss the “efficient” Shahbaz Sharif regime. “Not saying this because I am related to you but Punjab solely misses you. Today almost a dozen infants have lost their lives due to criminal negligence but no one is even visible let alone standing with the aggrieved. We miss you Shahbaz Sharif!,” read the tweet.

Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz demanded that the Punjab health minister resign on moral grounds and seek forgiveness from the nation because of the Sahiwal incident.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2019