John Wilbert &Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Apr 11: Family members of a patient from Andaman and Nicobar Islands have made serious allegations against Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai for negligence in admitting the critical patient in ICU, even after conducting many tests.
The patient was referred to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for advanced treatment under the Ayushman Bharat PMJAY scheme, but the hospital staff reportedly showed negligence in admitting patients, forcing ICU patients to wait for nearly 12 hours in the hospital campus.
The Government of India has been actively encouraging more private hospitals to join the Ayushman Bharat PMJAY scheme to provide better treatment to beneficiaries. However, hospitals like Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai have been sidelining patients who come under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, showing less interest in providing treatment, the family alleged.
Seeing things going out of hand, Mr. Dulal Nandi’s family reportedly contacted Mr. Alager Swamy, former Up-Adhyaksh Zilla Parishad N & M Andaman, who was also present in Chennai, and requested him to visit Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital Chennai for help. The family was facing a language barrier.
“I went to the hospital to help them. I requested the hospital authorities to admit him, but they refused and asked us to wait until the neuro doctor arrived. Even after six different doctors checked the patient, they refused to admit him until the neuro doctor arrived, showing clear negligence on ICU patients who came under the Ayushman Bharat scheme from far off place like Andaman,” said former Up-Adhyaksh Zilla Parishad N & M Andaman Mr. Alager Swamy.
Mr. Subrata Nandi, son of the patient Dulal Nandi, informed that his father suffered a stroke recently and was admitted to GB Pant Hospital on March 30th. Later, he was referred to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for advanced treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The patient and his family members reached Chennai on Saturday, April 8th, but the ambulance did not arrive, and they had to hire a private cab to reach the hospital. However, instead of admitting the patient, a staff member advised them to wait until the neuro doctor arrived. After waiting for nearly 12 hours, the family decided to move to another hospital as the patient’s condition was deteriorating. Yesterday morning the family took the patient to Kolkata at their own risk.
When contacted a senior officer of the Health Department said that he came to know about this incident and he assured to conduct an inquiry if any complaint letter is received. This is not the first time when patients were harassed by Hospitals in Mainland India for money. Patients are now demanding stringent action against hospitals in mainland who are harassing patients of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who are referred under Ayushman Bharat PMJAY scheme.
