13,187 patients died in Uttarkhand's govt hospital in nine years, says RTI reply

As many as 13,187 patients have died in Dr Sushila Tiwari Government Medical College and Hospital, here in the last nine years, as per an RTI reply to a query.

The reply pertaining to the total deaths in the government hospital was sought by an RTI activist Hemant Gauniya. According to the RTI reply, as many as 13,197 died in over a decade.

"People are afraid to get treatment in this hospital. They were granted Rs 13 crore by the government, but it was not put to use aptly," Gauniya told ANI.

The highest number of deaths were reported in 2015 (1784) and the lowest in 2010 (815). In 2019 alone, 490 people have died till the month of April.

A doctor employed at the hospital, however, refuted the claims and said that the mortality rate is high as all the terminally ill patients are referred to the hospital from other district and private hospitals.