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Body left alongside patient in Ludhiana civil hospital: Rights’ panel seeks action-taken report
In November last year, in a letter to the Ludhiana civil surgeon, the commission said that a report received on July 18, 2024, only stated that a “departmental action” was taken Dr Mandeep Kaur Sidhu, the then senior medical officer (SMO) of the civil hospital and emergency medical officer (EMO) Manju Narang, but it did not mention as to what action was taken
The Punjab State Human Rights Commission has sought to know from the health department about the action taken against the responsible officials in the case of a body lying on the same bed with another patient in April last year at the civil hospital here.
The order, issued by commission commission’s chairperson Justice Sant Prakash on July 8, mentioned, “Kirandeep, senior assistant, E-2 Branch, director, health and family welfare, Punjab, was unable to specify the exact action taken against the erring doctors, namely Dr Mandeep Kaur and Dr Manju Nahar.”
The commission asked the director to send another official during the next hearing to explain the action taken against the doctors. “State’s health and family welfare director is directed to depute some responsible officer from his office to appear before this commission on the next date of hearing to apprise this commission about the action taken against Dr Mandeep Kaur and Dr Manju Nahar,” the order read.
The next hearing has been set for October 1 this year. Health and family welfare director Dr Hartinder Kaur, when approached, didn’t comment on the issue.
In November last year, in a letter to the Ludhiana civil surgeon, the commission said that a report received on July 18, 2024, only stated that a “departmental action” was taken Dr Mandeep Kaur Sidhu, the then senior medical officer (SMO) of the civil hospital and emergency medical officer (EMO) Manju Narang, but it did not mention as to what action was taken.
“A report dated July 18, 2024, has been received from Ludhiana civil surgeon, stating therein that after thoroughly investigating the matter, departmental action has been recommended against SMO Dr Mandeep Kaur and EMO Dr Manju Narang. But it was not mentioned in the report what action has been taken till date,” the November letter read.
“Therefore in view of the above, the civil surgeon is again directed to apprise this commission about the action taken against the said doctors before the next date of the hearing,” the letter added.
The body was found on the morning of 14 April 2024. Officials had claimed that the man had only died half an hour before being found dead. The incident has led to a huge outcry. However, initial reports suggested that the man had died several hours before being discovered dead and that he was not given due attention by the doctors.
