Video: Father Carries Oxygen Cylinder For Newborn At Andhra Hospital

A video of a man seen carrying an oxygen cylinder for his preterm baby at King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, has gone viral and left many on social media in utter disbelief. The father was forced to take matters into his own hands due to the unavailability of hospital staff.

The clip shows the man carrying the oxygen cylinder on his shoulder, while the mother walks briskly ahead with their premature baby. The couple was shifting the baby to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) wing of the hospital.

Dr P Sivananda, orthopaedist and the overseeing medical officer at the hospital has instructed the staff to ensure such an incident is never repeated on the premises.

The shocking visuals sparked reactions on social media, with one user saying, "Pathetic to see this happen." Another expressed concern about alleged “negligence” in hospital duties across various departments.

This incident came shortly after a fire scare at the hospital's Intensive Respiratory Care Unit (IRCU), late Monday night. The fire, reportedly caused by an electrical short circuit, was triggered by a malfunctioning ventilator, filling the ward with smoke.

Fortunately, all patients were safely evacuated, and there were no injuries. The hospital staff acted swiftly to contain the fire, which caused partial damage to the ventilator and its monitor. There were eight patients in the ward at the time of the incident, but they were relocated without any complications.