As many as four infants died in incubators of the state-run National Institute of Child Health (NICH) due to prolonged suspension of power supply which caused shortage of oxygen.
According to reports, condition of several other children is also critical due to lack of oxygen in the institute. The reports said that power supply to the institution remained suspended since Saturday morning.
However, K-Electric company spokesman Osama Qureshi said the pole mounted transformer (PMT) that supplies power to NICH was exempted from loadshedding.
The spokesman said that the company would not even receive any complaint from the institution over power suspension. He said some technical glitch inside the NICH caused power suspension. Sindh Health Minister Jam Mehtab said he would personally visit NICH to monito the situation.
Mehtab, incharge at the hospital, confirmed that there was a minor breakdown. He, however, said only one child died due to power breakdown, reported a TV channel.
“We have back-up generators at the hospital. Let us talk to K-Electric to ensure there is no power interruption in medical facilities,” he said.
He said he had ordered an inquiry into the death of one child. On the other hand, NICH Director Dr Jamal Raza said there was some fault in an underground cable. But he insisted that this temporary power interruption did not cause any death.
