NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JUNE 21
Two days after a 73-year-old COVID-19 patient died allegedly due to delay in admitting him in a private hospital here and putting him on a ventilator, the civic body on Sunday issued a show-cause notice for the ‘grave negligence’.
As per the notice issued by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), the patient was forced to wait at the gate (apparently in an ambulance) of Rajasthan Hospital for approximately 20 minutes on June 18 as staffers took time to open it. They also allegedly took another 10-15 minutes to bring the stretcher.
The patient, who was in a critical condition, was rushed to Rajasthan Hospital from another private facility as he was in need of a ventilator, the notice stated.
Authorities at Rajasthan Hospital had confirmed the availability of ventilator in advance, as per the notice.
The notice asked why a criminal complaint not be filed under section 188 and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code against the hospital or legal proceedings be initiated.
It also asked why a heavy penalty not be imposed or ‘C’ form registration of the hospital be cancelled on the account of a ‘grave negligence’.
The AMC has requisitioned 50 per cent of total beds available in 52 private hospitals in Ahmedabad for treatment of coronavirus patients, including Rajasthan Hospital where 23 beds are assigned for coronavirus patients, it said.
Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, the hospital could not be reached for comments.
The AMC said the patient had to wait for approximately 20 minutes at the gate of the hospital, as the staff took time to open it.
After the gate was finally opened, the staff took another 10-15 minutes to bring the stretcher, which is evident from the incident report and CCTV footage, it said, adding this ‘serious lapse of duty’ led to the death of the patient.
The AMC said hospital authorities also responded ‘casually and in a very irresponsible way’ to the process of its requisition by the civic body.
As per the AMC, 786 of the total 1025 beds in the 52 private hospitals are currently occupied, including 57 of the 75 ICUs with ventilators.
Ahmedabad city so far reported 17,873 coronavirus positive cases, as per the COVID bulletin released on Sunday afternoon. The cumulative death toll stands at 1,282.
