Jalandhar, Aug. 1 -- Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh visited the Jalandhar civil hospital on Thursday to assess the medical arrangements, particularly in the ICU and oxygen plant, following the deaths of three patients due to a disruption in oxygen supply on July 27. The victims, including a 15-year-old snake-bite patient, a 32-year-old drug overdose victim, and a 30-year-old with a lung disease, died between 7.15 pm and 7.50 pm that day after the oxygen supply to the ICU was found to be inadequate. Following a preliminary investigation that revealed gross negligence, the health minister announced that several top hospital officials had been suspended, including medical superintendent Dr Raj Kumar, senior medical officer Dr Surjit Singh and consultant anaesthesiologist Dr Sunakshi. Dr Shaminder Singh, the house surgeon, was also terminated immediately. In his third visit to the hospital since the incident, the health minister assured the public that the investigation was ongoing, and more action could be taken. "This is a very serious matter, and we are conducting a thorough investigation. More heads may roll in the coming days," he said, stressing that the probe would leave no stone unturned. To ensure fairness in the inquiry, the minister confirmed that a representative from the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) would be included in the probe panel. "We are committed to ensuring that all stakeholders, including doctors and the victims' families, are given a chance to present their statements," he said. The health minister also stated that the state government is considering providing training to all medical staff, including doctors, nurses and ward boys, to familiarise them with the operations of oxygen plants and the backup systems. "Everyone must know the oxygen flow process, from the source to the backup systems," he said. Regarding the post-mortem controversy, the minister explained that though he had wanted autopsies to be conducted, the victims' families refused to provide written consent as required by law. "The bodies were handed over after the families declined to give written consent for post-mortem," he said, adding that the government would extend all necessary support to the grieving families. He also criticised opposition MLAs for politicising the incident. "Instead of pointing fingers, they should introspect on their own failures in strengthening healthcare infrastructure," he remarked, questioning why functional oxygen plants and hotline systems were never ensured during the previous government's tenure. After his visit to Jalandhar, the health minister conducted a surprise inspection at the Nawanshahr civil hospital. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab assembly Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday held the AAP-led Punjab government accountable for the tragic deaths of the three patients and demanded the resignation of the health minister Dr Balbir Singh. Bajwa said the Punjab health ministry's recent actions, including suspending three doctors and dismissing a house surgeon, were wholly insufficient. The health minister must accept moral responsibility and resign without delay, he said. He also alleged that Punjab's public health system had deteriorated significantly under the AAP government's 3.5-year tenure. "In their reckless pursuit to impose a rejected health model from Delhi, the AAP government has dismantled the well-functioning health system of Punjab," he said. Bajwa also expressed outrage over the acute shortage of medical specialists in Punjab's civil hospitals, revealing that out of 2,098 sanctioned specialist posts, a staggering 990 were vacant. Moreover, 1,962 out of 3,847 general medical officer positions remain unfilled, a 51% vacancy rate....