Medical negligence: Man dies in ambulance without oxygen support

In another instance of gross medical negligence, one middle aged man died on way to one hospital to another hospital on Sunday in Agartala, which created furore among relatives of the deceased man over absence of minimum medical support in IGM Hospital.

Sources said that one Shanti Saha (54) of East Pratapgarh area of Agartala since Sunday morning was suffering from breathing problems due to his piles related ailments. Immediately, his family including his son brought him to the emergency unit of IGM Hospital on Sunday noon.

Unfortunately, there was no doctor in the state’s main referral hospital and in absence of any surgeon, on duty medicos suggested family persons of Shanti Saha to shift to GB Hospital and authorities of IGM had also arranged an ambulance to refer the patient without giving him any basic treatment or oxygen support.

Hurriedly, family persons boarded the ailing man inside the ambulance, which does not have any medicos to support the patient or any oxygen cylinder.

When they reached the emergency unit of GB Hospital, visiting doctors after primary check up, declared Shanti Saha as brought dead.

Speaking with media persons, the son and brother of the deceased man claimed they brought Shanti Saha at IGM Hospital only with breathing problems and despite repeated appeals, the on-duty medicos did not provide any oxygen support or any basic treatment, rather they referred him to GB Hospital with an ambulance, which does not have any basic life support system.

The family of the victim urged the Health Minister of the state to ensure basic treatment of ailing persons, else like Shanti Saha many people will die without any treatment.