UP man dies after delay in transfer, body remained unattended for 11 hours in hospital

The patient was admitted at 1:15 p.m. by two unidentified men. He was semi-conscious and vomiting. Dr. Manish referred him to LLR Hospital for advanced care.

In a shocking lapse of medical protocol, a 25-year-old patient referred from Kanpur Dehat Medical College to Kanpur’s LLR Hospital died on Saturday night after waiting hours without proper transfer arrangements. His body remained unattended on a bed in the emergency ward of the Kanpur Dehat medical college for nearly 11 hours.

Despite the mortuary being adjacent to the emergency ward, the body remained on the bed overnight and was only shifted at 9 am on Sunday after the matter reached the district magistrate. (Unsplash/ Representational Image)

The delay, hospital officials said, was caused by paperwork, shortage of staff, and the absence of an attendant.

The patient, identified only as Sundar, was admitted at 1:15 p.m. by two unidentified men who left immediately. He was semi-conscious and vomiting. Dr. Manish, who was on duty, referred him to LLR Hospital at 2.45 pm for advanced care. However, Sundar was never shifted and remained at Kanpur Dehat medical college.

With no family present, the medical college contacted Akbarpur police to arrange a home guard. Though a home guard was dispatched and hospital staff claimed an ambulance was on its way, the vehicle never arrived. Sundar was declared dead around 10 pm.

Despite the mortuary being adjacent to the emergency ward, the body remained on the bed overnight and was only shifted at 9 am on Sunday after the matter reached the district magistrate.

The emergency ward was staffed mainly by junior doctors. The duty roster listed Dr. Manish, pharmacist Ajay Vishwakarma, ward boy Rashid, and two Class-IV employees.

Inspector Satish Singh of Akbarpur said the initial patient form was incomplete and a corrected one was sent only by 8 pm, adding that hospital staff claimed that because of a festival, many employees were on leave.

Chief medical superintendent (CMS) Dr Vandana Singh said that while the hospital had called for an ambulance, “the claim that it never arrived is incorrect.” She admitted that one ward boy and one sanitation worker were absent from duty that night, which delayed shifting the body.

She added, “Explanations have been sought, disciplinary action will follow.”

Principal Dr Sajjan Lal Verma confirmed the patient died at 10.40 pm.

“I have asked the CMS to submit a report specifying which doctors and staff were on duty and at what level the negligence occurred. Strict action will be taken,” he said.

District magistrate Kapil Singh asserted, “The arrangements in the hospital will be improved. No negligence will be tolerated.”