"Why didn't you buy an inverter?": Allegations emerge following patient’s death in Palakkad; power outage to continue in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A health worker has alleged that a patient in Palakkad died after a power outage disrupted the oxygen support he depended on. The claim, made in a social media post, has sparked concern over the impact of recent load shedding on patients who rely on electrically powered medical equipment.
The patient, identified as Krishnan, had recently been discharged from hospital and was receiving oxygen therapy at home through an electric oxygen concentrator.

Health worker Chitra Abhay, who shared details of the incident on social media, said the power supply was interrupted around midnight, causing the concentrator to stop working. She alleged that the patient's oxygen saturation level dropped to around 39-40 per cent after the outage.

According to Chitra, the family immediately contacted the local KSEB office at 0491-2537053 to report the emergency. She alleged that the official who answered the call responded by asking why the family had not arranged an inverter, a remark she described as insensitive given the situation.

Power was restored later, but by then the patient's condition had worsened significantly, Chitra claimed. Krishnan died at around 6 a.m., according to her account.

The allegation comes at a time when Kerala has been witnessing increased power instability. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has warned that electricity demand could rise by as much as 500 megawatts, raising the possibility of additional power cuts during peak hours.

In her post, Chitra also highlighted the difficulties faced by families caring for patients who depend on electrically powered medical devices. She said many households cannot afford backup systems such as inverters, leaving vulnerable patients at risk during unexpected power outages.