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Family allege negligence as GADVASU staffer dies during treatment in Ludhiana
Family alleges the attending doctors did not reveal the patient’s status to them for multiple hours, and later announced her death.
The family of a 50-year-old woman staged a protest, alleging medical negligence, after she died during treatment at Raghunath Hospital on Saturday night.
The deceased, Arvinderjit Kaur, was an employee of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU).
On Saturday, Arvinderjit, a resident of I-Block , BRS Nagar, was admitted to the hospital around 11.30am after she started vomiting due to acidity.
Her brother Kamaljit Singh alleged, “The doctors started her treatment. When I asked for the status, they didn’t give any response and locked the ICU door from inside. In the afternoon, doctors told us her condition was not improving, so we decided to take her to DMC Hospital. We called an ambulance for this, but the attending doctor didn’t discharge her.”
He said the ambulance kept waiting for three hours, but there was no response from the doctor. “Around 8pm, the doctor declared my sister dead. It is completely due to the negligence of the doctor and nurses that I lost my sister,” Kamaljit alleged.
On Sunday, the body was shifted to the Ludhiana civil hospital for autopsy, and viscera samples were sent to the forensic science laboratory (FSL) in Kharar.
“We made several rounds of Raghunath Hospital, but we got the patient’s reports only after multiple requests, that too in the presence of police,” said Sadhu Singh, a neighbour of the deceased.
ASI Kulwant Singh, investigating officer, Sarabha Nagar police station, said the hospital staff was not cooperating, and took several hours to provide the patient’s medical reports.
Sub-inspector Madhu Bala, station house officer (SHO), Sarabha Nagar, said police had initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). A case will be registered on the basis of the viscera report. “The hospital’s management committee has assured to take action against medical negligence, if any,” she said.
DECEASED WAS FAMILY’S BREADWINNER
The deceased, Arvinderjit Kaur, worked in GADVASU’s accounts department. She is survived by her 18-year-old son, Prabhjot Singh, who is studying at a Phagwara university.
Prabhjot said his father and grandparents had died several years ago. Arvinderjit was the eldest among six siblings. Her four younger sisters and a brother live with their families in other parts of Ludhiana.
“My mother suddenly started vomiting, so we took her to the hospital. She had no major health issue. So, I could not believe when doctors informed us that she was no more,” Prabhjot said.
