Private hospital in Gurugram booked for medical negligence, overcharging – ET HealthWorld

GURUGRAM: A private hospital in DLF-3 has been booked for alleged medical negligence and overcharging a Covid-19 patient.

The hospital is accused of negligence in the treatment of the patient, which allegedly led to his being infected by mucormycosis (black fungus). The hospital also allegedly overcharged him for oxygen and medicines.

Gaurav Kumar (31) was admitted to RBS Hospital in DLF-3’s Nathupur on May 5 in the Covid ICU (without ventilator). His family has alleged that proper treatment was not provided to him and due to excessive administration of steroids, unhygienic oxygen equipment and negligent conduct of the hospital, Kumar developed black fungus.

TOI reached out to RBS Hospital for a comment but didn’t get a response.

“The hospital illegally charged Rs 6,000 per day for oxygen supply in violation of the government norms. At that time, the government had fixed the rate at Rs 8,000 per day for Covid ICU (without ventilator) in private hospitals. The hospital, in connivance with its pharmacy, fleeced the patient’s family and charged about Rs 85,000 for medicines purchased from its pharmacy,” said Amit Sahni, the counsel for the patient’s family.

The family alleged that while Kumar was admitted in hospital on May 5, he was illegally charged for medicine from May 4. “We fear that the drugs mentioned in the bill might not have been administered to the patient, as the patient has not recovered from Covid till date despite such heavy doses of drugs,” a relative said.

On May 7, the patient had a nosebleed and doctors gave him some injections to stop bleeding. Later, he developed nasal blockage and faced difficulties in breathing. “We complained about the nasal blockage to the hospital staff and doctor, but they ignored it and suggested steam inhalation. The nasal blockage deteriorated, but doctors at RBS didn’t pay any heed to it. High doses of steroids continued to be given,” the family member added.

Unable to get any satisfactory treatment on nasal blockage, Kumar was shifted to Paras Hospital on May 10, where doctors confirmed that he had black fungus in the nasal area. Kumar underwent surgery for mucormycosis on May 13. The patient is still admitted in Paras Hospital and is undergoing treatment for black fungus and other related infections allegedly caused while availing treatment at RBS. “We are under huge financial stress as black fungus developed due to negligence of RBS Hospital,” the relative said.

Kumar’s family approached police with a complaint in July, but no FIR was filed. They then approached court. On October 1, chief judicial magistrate Anil Kaushik directed police to register an FIR. A case was finally lodged against RBS Hospital and others, who are yet to be identified, under section 420 (cheating) and 338 (negligent act to endanger human life) of the IPC at DLF-2 police station on Sunday.