Published On : Mon, Nov 17th, 2014

Patients suffer as OT at GMC’s Super Specialty closed; CM to write to hospital

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Nagpur.

As many as 9 patients admitted at Super Specialty Hospital of Government Medical College, lost their lives for want of immediate operations which were delayed as the Operation Theatre has been closed for over a month. A doctor at CVTS section Dr. Satish Das has reportedly acknowledged the death of these patients in view of paralysed OT services, while interacting to a relative of one of the patients. Dr. Das has also been reportedly insisting patients requiring immediate operation to shift to some private hospitals. Kumar Masram, PA to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed that CM would immediately write to the hospital authorities in this regard and direct them to arrange for the facilities at Super Specialty Hospital.

Interestingly, Dr. Vandana Agrawal, Medical Superitendant at Super Specialty too sounded quite harsh when Nagpur Today quizzed her in this regard.  “Yes the operation theatre has been closed as it has been handed over to Public Works Department for construction work, and the patients requiring immediate attention are being ‘shifted’” she said.

When asked where these patients are being shifted, she claimed ignorance saying, “That needs to be asked from the doctors concerned (Dr Satish Das and Dr Bhatkal) as to what they are doing to the patients. My job is limited to the operation theatre only which is closed for now.”

I am not a medical superintendant : Dr Vandana Agrawal

Dr Vandana Agrawal went on to quote that she is not even a Medical Superintendant at Super Specialty as she does not have any such order about her position. When this correspondent directed her attention towards the news about death of 9 patients due to the non-functional operation theatre, she trashed the query saying, “I am not responsible for any patients’ activities here and I am not a Medical Superintendant at all. You may publish this also in your news.”

Meanwhile, Nagpur Today tried to contact Dr. Satish Das but the phone in his CVTS Department remained unanswered for most part of the day. The receptionist informed that he might be busy in the outdoor patient department, but he remained unavailable even after that. Later, when this correspondent tried connecting him on his cell, the voice on the other end told us to call later, despite the matter being revealed to the person. It may be mentioned here that CVTS department at Super Specialty Hospital is unit meant for the critical patients suffering from heart ailments.

Doctors driving patients to pvt. Hospitals!

During the past few weeks, 9 patients reportedly died as their operation could not be performed on time. This information was allegedly given by Dr Das himself to one of the relatives of a patient admitted at Super Specialty. On condition of anonymity, a relative of another patient said, “We have been struggling to get the bypass surgery of my father done at Super Specialty, but every time we are reminded about the closure of operation theatre. Like me, many of the relatives are being suggested to take their patients to some private hospital. At this stage most of them could not afford the high treatment expenses and therefore many of them are helplessly keeping their patients back in the hospital.”

Is OT really closed?

A set of different information appears when Nagpur Today delved deeper into the issue. It was later learnt that the construction work, as claimed by Dr. Vandana Agrawal, was actually carried out on a floor above operation theatre. While Dr. Agrawal claimed OT has been closed for construction, another patient revealed that his relative was operated in the same OT last week only. So who is lying to whom and why? The relatives suffering from the whims and fancies of the doctors and medical superintendant (which she claimed she is not) have demanded high-level inquiry into the matter. Another piece of information that cropped up was that the operation theatre is infected by some tetanus virus which has become the matter of grave concern. “Due to this problem only, the operations are not being performed, “ added a source.

However not a single doctor including CVTS doctors – Dr Satish Das and Dr Bhatkal are willing to comment anything in this regard.

A source close to a patient said, “I have seen three deaths on a single day last week. The relatives of the dead patient also ransacked the premises and some media channel also arrived here, but even after that condition has only worsened.”

It’s a serious matter : Kumar Masram, PA to CM Devendra Fadnavis

The patients admitted to super specialty hospital are mostly beneficiaries of Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayi Yojana which provides for free treatment of the patients ailing from various serious health problems. Currently, the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is holding the Health Ministry. Kumar Masram, Personal Assistant to Fadnavis said that he had brought this irregularity to the knowledge of the Chief Minister who would write to the hospital authorities in this regard.

Bubble of Super Specialty bursts… Super Specialty hospital at GMC is fast turning into a death bed for patients, who are deprived of surgery for the closure of operation theatre there.

Bubble of Super Specialty bursts…
Super Specialty hospital at GMC is fast turning into a death bed for patients, who are deprived of surgery for the closure of operation theatre there.