COUNCIL ORDERS HOUSE PROBE INTO PARAS HOSP

PATNA: A five-member committee of Bihar’s Legislative Council would probe allegations of medical negligence and exorbitant charges for treatment against the management of a leading private hospital in the state capital, Paras HMRI hospital.

Working chairman of Legislative Council Awadhesh Narayan Singh ordered the probe by a House panel in reply to a zero hour question by JD(U) member Sanjeev Shaym Singh, who alleged that a 17-year-old youth, Ayush Ranjan, admitted in the hospital with symptoms of fever, died on Monday due to alleged negligence of doctors and other staff. Ranjan was the only son of a functionary of panchayati raj institution of Karakat in Rohtas.

Rising above party lines, members supported Sanjeev Shyam Singh and urged the chair to be take note of the incident, which they said had become common at private hospitals that generally indulged in fleecing unsuspecting people.

Sanjay Singh, Neeraj Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar Singh, Ghulam Gaus (all of JD-U), Nawal Kishore Yadav of BJP and Ram Chandra Purbe of RJD sought an inquiry into the allegations.

Officials at the Council secretariat, however, said it wasn’t a various serious development. “Appointment of the committee members would be notified by the Council secretariat later. The inquiry committee announced during the Budget session to probe allegations of commercial use of the Bihar Vidyapeeth, founded by Mahatma Gandhi, has not yet been constituted,” said a senior official wishing anonymity.

When contacted, Dr Asif Rahman, medical superintendent of Paras hospital, said, “We provide unmatched healthcare services to all our patients. We regret the passing away of the patient whom we tried to provide the best possible service too. A multidisciplinary team of doctors along with the ICU team treated the patient. There has been no lapse from our side. As a responsible healthcare provider of the state, we will cooperate in making the process of investigation smoother.”