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State Action against hospital may be delayed
State action against Jehangir Hospital, which was charged it with negligence after Rida Shaikh (14) died there of swine flu, may take a while. Additional Commissioner of Police Prabhat Kumar’s letter to the health department, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, has asked the department to first appoint an expert committee to find out how Jehangir failed, reports Yogesh Joshi.
State action against Jehangir Hospital, which was charged it with negligence after Rida Shaikh (14) died there of swine flu, may take a while.
Additional Commissioner of Police Prabhat Kumar’s letter to the health department, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, has asked the department to first appoint an expert committee to find out how Jehangir failed. “If there is any complaint of negligence, the government should form a three-member expert committee under government rule 2005 MIS, 78/05,” said the letter.
Kumar’s letter comes a day after the joint director (health) wrote to the police, asking for action against Jehangir. The joint director’s letter said the hospital’s reply to health officials’ queries was “unsatisfactory”.
N Salunke, assistant director (health), said the “latest letter from the police will be forwarded to the director of health services. A committee will be set up to probe Jehangir’s negligence”. Additional Health Secretary Sharvaree Gokhale added: “Our priority is to control swine flu. Action against Jehangir will be taken in good time.”
Shaikh’s family too said it had not yet filed a police complaint. Abhishekh Jadhav, an advocate representing the Shaikhs, said: “We will file a complaint against Jehangir by Thursday or Friday.”
