China: 6 elderly people died because they were not allowed to use air conditioning

(Baonghean.vn) - An investigation has been launched after six elderly people at a nursing home in China died during a severe heatwave. Reports say they were not allowed to use air conditioning in the hot weather, leading to the tragic end.

Zhulin Nursing Home in Jiangsu. Photo: China news service.

The deaths have sparked a wave of criticism and increased social concern for the elderly who are left alone and have no one to rely on, forcing them to rely on government assistance.

All six deaths at the Zhulin nursing home in eastern Jiangsu province occurred in the same place within eight days, from July 20 to 27.

Health officials have previously warned of the risks of heatwaves that have seen temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius.

Journalists from Modern Express visited the nursing home and found that there were only four working air conditioners in the 40 rooms. Many of the air conditioners were not even plugged in.

Some people told the press that they were not allowed to use cooling devices, while others said they could only turn on the air conditioner when there was more than one person in the room.

"I have never held a remote control until now, and the one I have is something I borrowed from someone else," a resident of the nursing home told Xinhua.

Before the incident, the nursing home had 138 residents. Most of them received 8,000 yuan a year from the local government to cover living expenses.

China's one-child policy was abolished earlier this year, but four decades of implementation have resulted in a shrinking workforce and a rapidly aging population, putting huge pressure on China's social services.

Most elderly people in China are raised and cared for by their children, but millions of others are left childless or their only child has passed away.

Thanh Huyen

(According to Telegraph)