DMCH served notice after 49-year-old patient referred to Ludhiana civil hospital dies

The male patient from SBS Nagar was admitted to DMCH with fever on Thursday night and tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.

The Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) was served a notice on Saturday after a Covid-19 patient, who was referred to the civil hospital due to paucity of beds, died.

“They have been asked to explain within two days as to why the patient was referred to civil hospital, failing which action will be taken,” said Dr Rajesh Bagga, civil surgeon, Ludhiana.

The 48-year-old patient from SBS Nagar was admitted to DMCH with fever on Thursday night.

His brother said after he was found positive for Covid-19 on Friday evening, DMCH staff asked them to shift the patient elsewhere as they could not accommodate more Covid-19 patients.

When they took him to civil hospital, there was no ventilator facility, and his brother died while they struggled to get him medical attention, he alleged.

Despite repeated attempts, DMCH secretary Prem Gupta and principal Dr Sandeep Puri were not available for comments.

THIRD INCIDENT IN PAST ONE WEEK

This is the third such death in the past one week involving a private medical facility referring critically ill patients to civil hospital. A 72-year-old woman from Janakpuri and a 55-year-old man from Islam Ganj, who were referred from Mohandai Oswal Hospital and DMCH, respectively, were declared brought dead at the civil hospital on July 19.

As per the health department, both patients, who were suffering from comorbidities, died on their way to the hospital. But, it remains unclear why they were referred to the civil hospital.