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UP hospital owner arrested over death of dengue patient
A 30-year-old dengue patient died on October 17 allegedly owing to transfusion of poorly preserved platelets and medical negligence. The hospital was sealed and its registration was cancelled following the incident
Acting in the case related to the death of a 30-year-old dengue patient allegedly owing to transfusion of poorly preserved platelets and medical negligence, the Prayagraj police in Uttar Pradesh arrested Pappu Sahu, the owner of Global Hospital located in Peepal Goan area in Jhalwa, late Friday night, police said.
The patient, Pradeep Pandey, a contractor and resident of Bamrauli in Prayagraj, was admitted to Global Hospital on October 14. He was transfused platelets following which his condition had deteriorated. He was then shifted to another private hospital on October 17 where he died on October 19 morning.
Pappu Sahu, a resident of Kaushambi district, and his son Satish Sahu besides doctors who treated the patient have a first information report (FIR) registered against them at the Dhumanganj police station in connection with dengue patient Pandey’s death.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Prayagraj, Shailesh Kumar Pandey confirmed the arrest of Pappu Sahu. “He has been arrested in connection with the case. Efforts are also underway to nab his son and other wanted in connection with the same case,” he added.
It is worth mentioning that Global Hospital was already sealed on the orders of chief medical officer (CMO), Prayagraj, Dr Nanak Saran following the death of the dengue patient and on October 29 its registration was also permanently cancelled.
“On getting complaint against the Global Hospital, an inquiry committee was constituted. After finding the hospital prima facie guilty of medical negligence, the registration of the hospital was suspended and it was sealed. After getting the recommendations of the inquiry committee, the registration of the hospital too has been cancelled,” CMO said citing his order.
The inquiry committee concluded that the 30-year-old dengue patient Pradeep Pandey had died due to transfusion of “poorly-preserved platelets” and not owing to fake or contaminated platelets.
The three-member probe committee set up by the Prayagraj district administration also found negligence in the treatment of the patient at the Global Hospital following which he later died at another hospital.
The probe panel also found that the patient was administered many antibiotics without proper testing during treatment at the Global Hospital which had further lowered his platelet count and this also contributed to his death, officials added.
Pradeep’s brother-in-law, Saurabh Tripathi alleged that when the doctors informed that the patient needed platelets, the family members donated blood and arranged platelets from SRN Hospital blood bank which were given to Pradeep and he showed signs of improvement.
“However, five more units of platelets were demanded by the doctors and the Global Hospital staff then got us in touch with a man who arranged the five units of platelets for Pradeep for ₹25,000 charging ₹5,000 per unit on October 17. As soon as these were transfused to Pradeep, his condition started deteriorating and he died despite being shifted to another hospital on October 19 morning,” Saurabh alleged.
The Prayagraj DM ordered additional city magistrate (ACM) Saurabh Bhatt, additional CMO Dr Sunil Kumar and CO (Civil Lines) NN Singh to undertake a detailed probe into the matter.
At the same time, a unit of platelets was also sent to the SRN Hospital lab for examination as part of the probe. This unit was part of the five units procured for Pradeep but never transfused to him.
A first information report (FIR) was also registered against doctors and staff of Global Hospital besides one Satish Sahu and his father Pappu Sahu at the Dhumanganj police station on October 21 based on the complaint of Pradeep Pandey’s wife Vaishnavi.
The FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code Sections 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating), 467 (forging document), 468 (forgery, intending that the forged document or electronic record shall be used for the purpose of cheating ), 471 (fraudulently or dishonestly using as genuine any document or electronic record knowing it to be forged), 274 (adulterating drug or any medical preparation), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 120-B (being party to a criminal conspiracy).
