Ahmedabad hospital gets notice over Covid-19 patient's death

AHMEDABAD: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has issued notice to the Rajasthan Hospital, Shahibaugh following the death of a patient who was transferred to the hospital for want of ventilator. The hospital delayed in admitting the patient resulting in the death.
This is the third such notice to the hospital. Earlier AMC has slapped a fine of Rs five lakh on Bodyline Hospital Paldi and Artham Hospital Panjrapole. According to AMC notice stated that on June 18 "there was a serious lapse in duty by the hospital which resulted into death of Covid-19 Patients Harish Kadiya."
The notice stated that “Harish Kadiya the deceased was shifted from Lifecare Hospital of central zone to Rajasthan Hospital because the patient was in need of requiring ventilator. The deputy heath officer confirmed availability of ventilator from Rajasthan Hospital in advance but when the patient was taken to corona gate of Rajasthan Hospital, they did not open the said corona gate for approximately 20 minutes and after huge tussle when gate was opened the staff of your hospital took another 10 to 15 minutes for bringing stretcher. This is not only written in incident report by zonal deputy commissioner but also evident from CCTV footage."
The AMC took base of the CCTV and the report from Dr Manish Kumar officer on Special duty. The notice stated that in view of Covid-19 pandemic situation, extraordinary health care urgency and its crisis are in existence in such crucial time even as citizen and human being it is the duty of all individual not to create any havoc situation which would deteriorate the health care facility, specially to Covid-19 patients.
The notice also refers to the Gujarat high court order where in the court has specifically observed that in the critical situation of Covid-19 pandemic, Private and corporate Hospitals must co-operate with the government, without exploiting the patients and shall serve the people at large in trouble.
The AMC in the show cause has stated as to why the corporation should not file criminal complaint against the hospital and its trustees under section 188 and other relevant provisions of IPC and initiate any other actions in View of the breach of provisions of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897.
The AMC also stated that why the AMC should not initiate appropriate legal proceedings for committing breach, wilful defiance and contempt of the high court order. The AMC has also sought a reply as to why heavy penalty should not be imposed and why the registration of the hospital should not be cancelled.