As many as 23 patients admitted at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Kalwa of Maharashtra's Thane district died in one night due to alleged overcrowding and insufficient doctors, officials said on Sunday (August 13).
Among those dead, over a dozen patients were admitted to ICU, and several others in the general ward.
Effect of closure of civil hospital
According to the officials, some patients who were above 80 years of age died due to last-minute arrival from the private hospital to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital.
Recently, when 5 people died in a single day, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad and other parties protested in front of the hospital.
What did Municipal Commissioner say?
However, according to Thane Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar, 18 deaths were reported in the last 48 hours at the hospital.
He said that he has briefed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over the issue and added that a committee will be constituted for an investigation into the incident.
"18 deaths have been reported in the last 48 hours. Some of the patients who have died were already receiving treatment for various ailments including chronic kidney disease, pneumonia, kerosene poisoning, road accident and other reasons. I have briefed the CM on these deaths. A committee will be constituted for an impartial investigation into this incident to find out if the patients received optimal treatment," Thane Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said.
CM Shinde’s district
Thane district belongs to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Recently, Chief Minister Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had laid the foundation stone of the Super Specialty Cancer Hospital in Thane. A multi-specialty hospital is being constructed by demolishing the building of the District General Hospital at that place.
Chief Minister reacts
Maharashtra Chief Minister called the deaths in the Hospital painful and unfortunate and said a high-level committee will conduct a detailed probe.
An official release said the Chief Minister, who is in presently Satara, said health minister Tanaji Sawant and Thane guardian minister Sambhuraj Desai were monitoring the situation.
As per information provided by the hospital administration, patients were in very critical condition and some had been referred there by private hospitals, the release quoted the CM as saying.
They were admitted on different days with different ailments, Shinde added.
"A committee under the chairmanship of the state health director will carry out a detailed probe into the deaths. Action will be taken based on this report," Shinde told reporters.
(Report: Rizwan Sheikh)
