COVID-19 patient dies in Andhra hospital; officials deny medical negligence

A body of coronavirus patient laid on the floors after the hospital staff in Vijayawada allegedly did not attend the body for nearly three hours, however, the officials here denied the allegations and said that the body was removed from the hospital within 15 minutes.

Vijayawada: Body of a woman, who died of Coronavirus in a COVID hospital in Vijayawada here on Wednesday, was found lying on the floor of a hospital ward after hospital staff allegedly did not attend the body for nearly three hours.

However, Dr Gopichand, Nodal officer for COVID denied the allegations and said that the deceased's body was removed from the hospital within 15 minutes.

"The patient was admitted to the hospital post-midnight on Tuesday. Doctors attended her Wednesday morning. Later, she had vomiting after 8.30 am and died at around 9 am. Her body was taken and shifted within 15 minutes. The Male Nurse Assistants (MNAs) wore PPEs, took all precautionary measures before removing the body, which took some time. It was hardly 15 minutes but not three hours," Gopichand told.

A pregnant woman, who was in the same ward made a video of the deceased while she was lying on the floor.
Resident Medical Officer Dr Shobha also denied allegations and said it took 15 minutes to remove the body as the staff has to take precautionary measures.

"We have held an enquiry into the matter. The deceased was a coronavirus positive patient. So, the staff had to take precautionary measures. The MNAs who have to take the body out have to wear PPEs that took at least 15 minutes. The body was immediately taken from the ward. It is not true that it took three hours to remove the body," he said.

(ANI REPORT)