In Uttar Pradesh, it was the absence of oxygen that claimed nearly 60 lives at Gurakhpur hospital. Closer home in Tamil Nadu, the absence of doctors claimed the lives of two persons, including a young girl at Ambur Government Hospital in Vellore district on Sunday.

Condemning the state government, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss condemned the incident that occurred in Ambur, located some 190 km from here.

In a statement here, the PMK leader said that as per norms, the Ambur hospital should have at least 10 doctors on duty.

“It is highly condemnable that yesterday (Sunday) nobody was on duty. The hospital employees have turned away patients as there were no doctors on duty,” Ramadoss said. The two persons, victims of a road accident, and were brought to the government hospital for treatment at Ambur hospital.

“As no doctors were available in the emergency ward the industrialist Rajkumar lost his life after two hours,” Ramadoss said. The other person travelling with Rajkumar was taken to another government hospital. But there was no ambulance available with the government hospital and hence a private ambulance had to be organised.

A 13-year-old girl, Vaishnavi who was admitted to Ambur Government Hospital on Sunday afternoon complaining of breathing difficulties, the PMK leader said adding “even though a doctor attended her after three hours. But the girl lost their life.

As there was no van available, the girl’s body was transported to her house on a two-wheeler.

“The Tamil Nadu incident is more pathetic than what happened in Uttar Pradesh,” Ramadoss said.