Ammon News -

Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh on Saturday said his government takes full responsibility for an oxygen supply failure at Salt Public Hospital, which left eight patients dead.

"The government alone bears full responsibility for this tragic incident," the prime minister told reporters after a Cabinet meeting, adding: "We will not be tempted to justify or downplay what happened. This is a grave matter that cannot be justified or avoid taking full responsibility for it."

He stressed that the "death of one Jordanian due to negligence is totally unacceptable, because the mistake that affects the lives of Jordanians due to negligence cannot be justified, and the government cannot accept for itself to justify it."

"What hurts us is that the confidence of Jordanians, which we have been striving to restore with efficient public administration, has been affected by today's tragedy. This prompted us to take serious and immediate measures to assume political and moral responsibility in this regard," the prime minister indicated.

Khasawneh said His Majesty the King "was angered by this negligence which the government is ashamed of," noting that the minister of health and the director of Salt Public Hospital were ordered to resign, while the employment of the director of the Balqa Health District has been suspended pending investigations.

He noted that he had ordered the president of the Judicial Council to lead an independent, transparent and credible investigation into the incident.

Also, Khasawneh added, His Majesty the King ordered the formation of a fact-finding team to probe the incident, adding that what happened was a grave and serious mistake that is neither justifiable nor acceptable.

"This government and I feel ashamed about it [the incident]. It is a mistake that we will not try to justify. We bear full responsibility for that."

Al-Khasawneh said: "We feel very saddened by the loss of lives. We believe that the idea of suffering an oxygen shortage while we are going through a dangerous pandemic in which the availability of oxygen is sensitive, basic and vital is something that cannot be accepted."

Khasawned pointed out that the government ordered the ministry of health and other health institutions to declare a state of maximum emergency to ensure that oxygen supplies and medical capacities are available and operating around the clock.

The prime minister extended his deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of today’s incident.