Heart patient dies after falling off stretcher

A middle-aged man under treatment for heart problem died by falling from the stretcher while he was being moved to Intensive Care Unit from the ward at the Government Medical Collge Hospital at Vandanam near Alappuzha.

A middle-aged man under treatment for heart problem died by falling from the stretcher while he was being moved to Intensive Care Unit from the ward at the Government Medical Collge Hospital at Vandanam near Alappuzha on Sunday.

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The incident sparked immediate protests from the local people, who were pacified by the district Collector by assuring that an inquiry would be held into the incident to find out if there was any lapse on the part of the hospital staff, police sources said.

Abdul Khadar (49), was admitted to the hospital two days back after he suffered a heart attack. This morning he complained of severe chest pain and was taken in a stretcher to the ICU in another block in the hospital complex. He fell off the stretcher while on the way to the ICU, sources said.

Local people said there had been complaints about the plan of the hospital complex as the ward for the patients and ICU were located in separate blocks.

When asked about the incident, the hospital authorities, declined to make any comment.