The National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday issued notice to the Madhya Pradesh government over the death of 11 patients in Indore's MY Hospital due to reported disruption in oxygen supply.

Taking sou motu cognizance of a media report, the Commission said it learnt that 11 patients, including two children, died at Maharaja Yashwantrao (MY) Hospital in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, as the oxygen supply snapped for around 15 minutes between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on June 21.According to the commission, the oxygen delivery system of the MY Hospital has been under the scanner since the death of two children, who were given nitrogen gas instead of oxygen in the Paediatric Operation Theatre.Officials of the Hospital said that 60-70 patients are put on oxygen in different wards every day. If the oxygen supply had been cut off, the rest of the patients should also have died.

It observed that the contents of the news report, if true, indicate gross negligence by the hospital authorities amounting to violation of Right to Life of the patients, who were in the medical care of a government-run hospital.Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, government of Madhya Pradesh, calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks.The official is also directed to submit a specific report whether 10-20 deaths a day, as mentioned in the news report are occurring at the MY Hospital, due to lack of infrastructure or any kind of negligence and whether the government has taken any steps to address the issue.