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Aussie health authorities investigating gas mix-up that causes one baby died

Xinhua, July 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

Health authorities are investigating an incorrectly installed gas machine by the Australian subsidiary of Germany's The Linde Group left one baby dead and another in critical condition.

Two babies at a western Sydney hospital were mistakenly treated with nitrous oxide, rather than oxygen at a western Sydney hospital after Australia's BOC Ltd. incorrectly installed and certified a gas line in the hospital's new neo-natal clinic.

As a result, one of the newborns tragically passed, while the other remains in critical condition.

"I've described it as a devastating error. That is what it is. Short and simple," New South Wales (NSW) state Minister for Health Jillian Skinner told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday, adding a gas line mix-up "is a very rare event. It's believed a hospital's anaesthetist must give certifying approval."

While deflecting calls for her resignation, Skinner said she has ordered ever new operating theatre and medical gas outlet installed over the past five years to be checked and an investigation by an independent obstetrician to identify exactly how the tragedy transpired.

"There are protocols and Australian standards about checking the installation of these gases and we've checked, and we continue to check -- and this will be part of the interim report due in a week -- to see that all of the (NSW Health) districts have followed those standards."

The government was also reviewing its relationship with BOC, Skinner said.

BOC said it regrets"that these families are suffering pain and sorrow"and is working with the state's police and health authorities in their investigations.

"It is extremely important to identify the exact cause of this tragedy,"a spokesperson said in a statement.

"BOC is also conducting a full internal enquiry and has appointed a special investigation team to ensure that the cause is clearly identified."

It's the second scandal in six months to plague the state's health department after revelations that dozens of patients were given incorrect chemotherapy doses at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital since 2012. Endit