E-Paper
Mansa civil hospital ‘lapse’: Authorities yet to fix responsibility
Mansa civil surgeon Dr Ranjit Rai said on Thursday that his office is awaiting a communication from the high-ups about the probe that inspected the hospital on November 25
The authorities are yet to fix responsibility in a case where two patients of the Mansa civil hospital were abandoned on the roadside last week, one of whom died. Two fact-finding committees of doctors were formed to probe the matter.
Mansa civil surgeon Dr Ranjit Rai said on Thursday that his office is awaiting a communication from the high-ups about the probe that inspected the hospital on November 25.
State health director Dr Adarshpal Kaur did not respond to repeated phone calls and text messages sent to her on Thursday to know the outcome of the committee reports.
After the allegations of patients being dumped on the roadside, the civil surgeon had constituted a four-member committee last Thursday. But it was later replaced by a state panel after the government formed another committee.
Experts were asked to submit a detailed report within three days
On Friday, Mohali civil surgeon Dr Mahesh Ahuja and district health officer Dr Subhsah Chander were deputed for an in-depth investigation and the experts were asked to submit a detailed report in three days.
Officials privy to the matter said the two-member panel stayed in Mansa on Saturday and left the place the next day after recording statements of doctors and ambulance drivers.
“The panel was given strict instructions not to engage any officials from Mansa in the probe to ensure a fair and transparent fact-finding report. The report was to be submitted to the director for further action. It was a serious matter as allegations were levelled against doctors at the public hospital that they hired a private individual to pick two sick persons from their beds and dump them on the roadside. The top brass of the health department is privy to the content on how much truth was found in the accusations,” said a senior functionary.
As per information, Karan and another 42-year-old unnamed patient were admitted at Mansa civil hospital in October. As both patients were without family members at the hospital, a group of ambulance operators volunteered to take care of the sick persons.
The two were found on the roadside in different locations on November 22 and the ambulance drivers alleged that both were thrown there on the direction of a few hospital doctors.
On November 25, the health director had told HT that 32-year-old Karan had a history of tuberculosis, and he somehow left the treatment midway.
“No medical record suggests that either of the patients were suffering from HIV infection. The other patient, who is stated to be mentally unstable and unable to share any information about himself or his family, was being treated for a fractured leg and arm,” she had added.
