Jalandhar hospital owner booked for negligence as patient dies

Police on Thursday booked the owner of a private hospital, Cardionova, for his alleged negligence that led to the death of a patient in November last year.

Division Number 6 police have registered a case against Dr Nitish Garg under Section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Victim Raghubir Singh, 68, of Kapurthala was admitted to Cardionova hospital after complaint of chest pain. The hospital staff had assured that cardiologist Dr Garg would arrive within 15 minutes and check the patient.

Parveen Walia, victim’s nephew, alleged that the doctor did not come even after an hour. “The hospital staff did not even allow us to shift my uncle to other medical facility. He died for want of treatment,” he added.

Walia had filed a complaint with police in the civil surgeon’s presence.

The FIR states that basic medicines for stabilisation of blood pressure and heart rate were given by staff after consulting Dr Garg over phone. As Dr Garg did not turn up after 90 minutes of admission, the patient was shifted to another hospital where he was declared brought dead, it adds.

The medical board of health department has also opined that the delay in shifting the patient from Cardionova hospital and no timely treatment led to his death.