An infant admitted at the NICU wing of PMCH on Sunday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Six days ago, Virendra Ram (name changed) was shocked to find out that none of the six ventilators were working at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).

To add to the fear, the health hub is getting parents to sign a slip stating that they were getting their babies admitted despite knowing that the NICU wing does not have a working ventilator.

Ram, a resident of Chhapra, had been at the premier government-run hospital to admit his one-day old son.

“I got to know that none of the six ventilators were in working condition in the NICU wing. My son was suffering from convulsion followed by respiratory failure problem. The Chhapra-based primary health centre, where my child was born, referred him to PMCH’s paediatric wing. I hoped that the NICU wing here would provide necessary ventilator support but I was shocked when I came here.”

He added: “It is only due to God’s grace that my son started recovering from the next day. But what if my son’s condition had deteriorated?”

A junior doctor said: “We are getting a slip signed by parents in which we have clearly stated that you are admitting your baby in the NICU wing despite knowing that it does not have any functional ventilator support system.” Even doctors working here admitted they were facing difficulty in treating the cases of respiratory failures, in absence of ventilators.”

“Ventilators are used to provide breathing support. In conditions like brain paralysis among others, when an infant faces breathing problem, then he/she is put on a ventilator. We put patients on an ambu bag support. One has to continuously push the ambu bag to provide breathing support. If the person handling the ambu bag doesn’t concentrate on his work, the infant’s life could be at risk,” said a junior doctor.

The ambu bag is a hand-held device used to provide pressure ventilation.

Dr Neelam Verma, head of paediatrics department, PMCH, admitted that none of the ventilators were working.

She said: “At the paediatrics intensive care unit also, only two ventilators were in working condition.”

“Three children died at the NICU wing of the paediatrics department. All of them were very serious and the ambu bag was being used. However, whether they died owing to absence of a ventilator or not cannot be established,” said a junior doctor.

Despite attempts, PMCH superintendent Lakhendra Prasad and deputy superintendent Sudhanshu Singh could not be contacted.