Patient dies unattended in Ghaziabad hospital?

A 60-year-old patient died after he reportedly remained unattended for eight days at the government hospital here, officials said Saturday.

The patient, Gopal Singh, was alleged to be "absconding" by the physician in the hospital ward after he was admitted to the emergency unit Oct 17. His body was found lying in the hospital premises Oct 25.

Piyush Sharma, the man who brought Gopal Singh to the hospital, said: "I found him lying outside a de-addition centre in Kamla Nehru Nagar. Being a daily jogger, I brought him to the hospital where Dr. Himanshu admitted him in the emergency section."

City magistrate Kapil Singh, who conducted an on-the-spot inquiry, said the patient "remained unattended for eight days in the hospital".

"After completing admission formalities (in the emergency section), he was referred to the physician in the hospital ward by emergency medical officer Himanshu. But his admission was not found on any register in the ward," he said.

The ward in-charge has now said she never received any patient, the city magistrate said.

Chief Medical Superintendent M.S. Panwar said he saw Gopal Singh in the hospital during his routine rounds and had instructed the staff to take the patient's care properly.

"He actually needed rehabilitation, and we as a hospital did our best what could have been done as a doctor," he said.

Chief Medical Officer Ajay Agrawal said he would recommend departmental action against those responsible for the lapse.

Superintendent of Police (City) Shiv Hari Meena said a post-mortem examination will be conducted.