Doctor saves ICU patients using light
The power disruption began at 10:30 PM on Friday and continued until 1:00 AM on Saturday.
KATHMANDU: A serious incident occurred at Narayani Hospital on Friday night when the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Critical Care Unit (CCU) were left without electricity for approximately two hours and thirty minutes.
The power disruption began at 10:30 PM on Friday and continued until 1:00 AM on Saturday.
Fortunately, no patient fatalities were reported during the blackout.
Seventeen patients were undergoing treatment in the ICU and CCU at the time of the power failure. Hospital staff, including doctors and nurses, managed the crisis by using mobile phone flashlights and taking immediate precautionary measures to ensure patient safety.
The power outage was reportedly due to negligence by the hospital administration and management.
The incident has drawn serious concern from the District Administration Office, which has instructed an internal investigation and action against responsible staff.
Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal and Parsa Police Chief Gautam Mishra held an emergency meeting on Saturday with hospital officials, including the chairman of the hospital development committee, acting medical superintendent, administrative heads, doctors, nurses, electricians, and other stakeholders.
They issued strict directives to maintain high alertness in such a sensitive institution.
CDO Aryal remarked, “A power outage for over two and a half hours in sensitive areas like ICU and CCU is a grave issue. If a patient’s life had been lost due to this, who would be held accountable? This must not be repeated.”
Police Chief Mishra also emphasized the need for around-the-clock availability of electricians and urged that all duty personnel remain physically and mentally prepared to fulfill their responsibilities.
Chairman of the Hospital Development Committee, Dhiraj Kumar Gupta, acknowledged the severity of the incident and pledged that such lapses would not recur.
Acting Medical Superintendent Chitraranjan Sah claimed that the incident was caused by weak internal wiring in the ICU and CCU.
He added that two critically ill patients were about to be transferred to another hospital when the power supply resumed, avoiding further risk.
