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Hospital authorities say patient was brought dead to hospital, while family alleges doctors failed to give exact cause of death; ‘Cause of death could not be known, can be ascertained by postmortem, which family denied’

Srinagar, Jul 18: A 25-year-old youth from Chaterhama area of Hazratbal in Srinagar died at Khyber hospital on Monday even as the family members alleged medical negligence by the doctors at the health facility, while hospital authorities maintained that the patient was brought dead to hospital. 

Family members of deceased youth Tariq Ahmad Dar son of Ghulam Hassan Dar, while talking to the news agency alleged that he died at the hospital but the doctors and the hospital management did not give any reason and cause of his death. 

“Four days ago we brought Tariq to Khyber hospital after he complained of some complications, the doctors present here gave him some medication and discharged him. Now after four days we again brought him here and after 30 minutes we got a call that he is no more, however, when we asked about the cause of death, they failed to give one,” one of Tariq’s cousins alleged. 

He alleged that at first no doctor was available there and when they raised hue and cry police came and intervened into the matter and only then doctors and the management came forward. 

“First doctors said that he was brought dead then they said he might have died of cardiac arrest, later they gave another reason and kept changing their statements. They failed to give any reason and cause of his death, which is simply the negligence on their part,” family members alleged. 

They said that the doctors later said that the cause of death will be defined by autopsy. “They changed three statement and simply filed to give the exact cause of death,” they said. 

Meanwhile, one of the officials of Khyber hospital management told KNO that a young male patient came to OPD on 14 th July 2022 with one day complaint of fever, abdominal pain, vomiting and loose stools.

He said that that patient was examined by a Gastroenterologist, was investigated with baseline investigations including abdomen USG, amylase, abdomen x-ray, Covid-19 test and other necessary examinations and it was diagnosed as acute Gastroenteritis. 

“Patient was given first aid medicine including IV fluids, antispasmodic and antibiotics. Later he came for follow up with complaint of fever while vomiting had settled and pain had also decreased. And in view of persistent fever, antibiotic cover was broadened with ceftriaxone salbactum.”

He also said that the patient was sent home with stable vitals by gastroenterologist and after one hour of reaching home, patient was unresponsive and was rushed back to the hospital. 

He added that the patient was assesed and declared brought dead, while the cause of death could not be known, and can be ascertained by postmortem, which family has denied to do so.(KNO)