12 newborns left gasping for air following theft of oxygen pipe at hospital
On Tuesday (17 Dec) night, 12 newborns at Rajgarh District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh, India faced life-threatening conditions after thieves stole an oxygen supply pipe.
The theft disrupted the oxygen flow to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), according to the Times of India.
There were more than 20 infants in the unit at the time of the incident — of which 12 were reliant on oxygen.
Backup oxygen supply quickly restored
Medical staff sensed that something was wrong when the newborns started crying.
Additionally, the NICU’s alarm system also went off, alerting them to a serious problem.
Nurses then realised that the oxygen supply had been cut, and upon investigating the pipes outside, discovered that one of its segments was missing.
The staff then quickly attached a backup jumbo oxygen cylinder to restore the critical supply.
Speaking about the incident, Dr R.S. Mathur, a doctor at the hospital, confirmed that unidentified thieves had stolen an oxygen pipe that was crucial in supplying oxygen to the NICU.
Reports stated that there was no loss of life and that local police are investigating the matter.
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Featured image adapted from Times Now and Luma Pimentel on Unsplash, for illustrative purposes.