Woman patient dies on stretcher; family claims delay in treatment

Shabra Begum, 70, was taken to Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Hospital around 10.30 am after she complained of severe abdominal pain and breathlessness. Around 12.45 pm, she died on a stretcher in the emergency ward of the hospital, where resident doctors were on a one-day strike.

Family members claimed she was left unattended to for over one and a half hours.The death sparked protests from other patients who witnessed the incident. They blocked the road outside the hospital demanding that the doctors check them properly.

“No patient died because he/she was unattended,” said Dr D K Tempe, medical director at LNJP Hospital, in a text message to Deccan Herald.

With resident doctors across government hospitals protesting against the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, OPDs remained shut and emergency services adversely affected.

“We filled out an OPD form around 10.40 am. With no doctors, we were asked to go from one floor to the other. Nobody attended to my mother. Then she was left on a stretcher in the Emergency. Around 15 minutes before she died, she was given an injection,” said Shabir, the woman’s son.

“The doctors said they could not admit her as there were nobody available for the strike,” he said. The patient was brought from Radhu Palace.

“She had swelling on her body and was suffering from breathlessness and pain. We repeatedly pleaded with doctors for her treatment,” said Rehana, the dead woman’s daughter.

A doctor on duty at the LNJP’s emergency ward said only “stable patients” were being turned away from the hospital. The ground situation, however, looked different.

With OPD registration counters open, some patients were left confused as they were given OPD slips but were left unattended.

Rajidan, in her late 60s, who came from Hapur district in Uttar Pradesh was given an OPD slip from the Medicine department. At 12.30 pm, she was told by the security guards that she should “come back later”.

“Since morning, different people in the hospital kept misleading me. Now the security guards ask me to stop loitering around and come back later. Why did they give out OPD card if there were no doctors to see patients?”

Prabhu Dayal, 75, who was brought in a semi-conscious state to the hospital was referred to “RML Hospital/Safdarjung Hospital” on the emergency card.

Such blind referrals were leading to further deterioration of patient’s condition as a majority of resident doctors at RML were on strike.

“The doctors said it would not be possible to treat him here as most doctors are on strike here. I am clueless if my father will get treatment at the referred hospital,” said Lalit as he put his father in an autorickshaw with the help of his friend.

Some family members kept persisted with the hospital administration till the patients were taken in.

“The doctors refused my husband treatment. He was in critical condition. But I kept at it till they agreed to see him in the Emergency,” said Aabida, 60.

Lakshmi, who brought her one-month-old niece from NOIDA Sector-75, had a similar story to share. “She has undergone two surgeries since birth. The child was in discomfort from last night. Even though the doctors refused to see her, we hung around,” she said.