Noida: The body of a 70-year-old patient was left unattended for 17 days in a mortuary at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences in Greater Noida. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has ordered an investigation into the incident.
The patient was admitted to the hospital on July 22 after a brain stroke and passed away on September 23. The body was then transferred to the mortuary. The person who brought the patient to the hospital was unavailable throughout the treatment process, according to a statement from the hospital.
However, it recently came to light that the body was neglected in the mortuary for 17 days. The state government took notice of the incident, with Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who is also the health minister, ordering an investigation.
“A serious case of hospital authorities forgetting a body after leaving it in a freezer for 17 days has been discovered at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences in Greater Noida. Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak has taken note of this highly sensitive incident. Orders have been given to investigate the matter,” stated a government spokesperson.
The principal secretary of the Medical Education Department has been instructed to seek clarification from the director of the hospital.
“The staff of the institute carelessly left the body in the freezer for 17 days and forgot about it. Deputy CM Pathak has stated that the entire incident will be investigated and strict action will be taken against those responsible,” added the spokesperson.
The hospital stated that despite making several attempts to contact the person who admitted the patient, they could not reach him. Eventually, they informed the local Kasna police station about the situation.
“The patient received free treatment for over two months, with multiple departments providing care. The hospital also mentioned the difficulty in managing destitute patients left by the police or attendants for daily care and disposal,” stated the hospital.
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