2 hospitals under lens for 11 Covid deaths

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rewari, October 24

Two Covid-designated private hospitals here have come under the scanner of the district administrative authorities following the death of 11 Covid patients there during the past five months.

Eight of the deaths have been reported from one of the hospitals while the total number of deaths due to Covid is 34 in the district.

Deputy Commissioner Yashendra Singh has constituted a five-member committee to inquire into the cause of death of the patients, treatment extended to them in the hospitals and fee charged by the hospitals from their kin.

The committee will be headed by Chief Executive Officer of Zila Parishad Trilok Chand as representative of the DC while Civil Surgeon Dr Sushil Mahi and three other doctors will be its members.

The committee has been directed to submit its report within the next three days.

Sources said the issue of 11 deaths in the private hospitals was discussed at a meeting of the Covid Management Committee held at the mini-secretariat here on Wednesday. Some officials raised eyebrows over it and demanded to find out exact reasons responsible stating that the figure comprised around one-third of the total Covid toll in the district.

ADC Rahul Hooda then demanded that the DC should get all deaths inquired into by forming a committee. The DC thereafter formed a five-member committee to inquire into the matter.

“The purpose for setting up the inquiry is to ascertain the treatment extended to the Covid patients in the hospitals and if the government norms were followed or not while charging medical bills from the patients’ kin,” said Yashendra.

Dr Vijay Prakash, Nodal Officer (Covid), said only four out of 34 deaths had taken place at the Covid ward of the local Civil Hospital while others had occurred at PGIMS Rohtak, AIIMS Jhajjar and private hospitals in Gurugram and Delhi.