SHILLONG, Jan 24: Another case of alleged medical negligence has come to the fore at the NEIGRIHMS although the institute has refuted the charges.
The relatives of a 23-year-old girl who died at the NEIGRIHMS on Tuesday night accused the institute of medical negligence.
The family members expressed their discontent with the hospital authorities, alleging that an operation was conducted on the girl without obtaining consent from them or informing them about her sickness.
According to the family members, the NEIGRIHMS authorities operated on her by simply stating that there was something in her intestines. They further claimed that after the operation, the patient was immediately shifted to the ICU without their knowledge.
The family members stated that they had not met any doctors from January 17 to 22. The patient was declared dead by the hospital authorities at around 9 p.m. on January 23.
They accused the hospital staff of neglecting the patient, even though she had complained about not being able to breathe properly.
The family members said the patient had written a letter before passing away, describing all the negligence by the hospital staff and doctors at the ICU. What angered the family members was that the hospital authorities issued a death certificate without explaining the cause of death, thereby fuelling their frustration.
Medical Superintendent of the NEIGRIHMS, C Daniala said the patient was very sick and was a known multi-drug resistant tuberculosis patient. He said her chest was also filled with fluid and she had extensive tuberculosis in her abdomen.
Apart from an obstruction in the bowel, she was a heart patient and had undergone an operation for the covering of the heart at the institute in 2017, he said.
Prof Daniala said the patient came on January 9 and was admitted the following day. Multiple tests were done on her and all tests confirmed that she had a bowel obstruction.
Denying the allegations that the patient was not given oxygen cylinders, the authorities said the institute has a central pipeline of oxygen that is supplied to patients and not oxygen cylinders.
The authorities also denied the allegations of medical negligence saying the patient was monitored round the clock.
