Nursing A Grievance: Families Recount Their Tales Of Horror

Nursing A Grievance: Families Recount Their Tales Of Horror

Nov 21, 2023, 03.38 AM IST

New Delhi: On September 19 last year, 26-year-old Kiran from Mahipalpur was admitted to Agarwal Medical Centre in Greater Kailash-I for a stone removal surgery. Citing complications, the ‘doctors’ at the facility didn’t waste time rushing taking her to the operation theatre. Hours later, Kiran died, allegedly due to a botched surgery.

Similarly, Jai Narayan (42) was admitted to the centre on October 26 for stone removal. He, too, did not survive, allegedly because of an operation conducted by unqualified doctors. The medical board at AIIMS said he died of excessive bleeding.

Besides Kiran and Narayan, dozens of people lost family members due to negligence by the ‘medical experts’ at the hospital. At least nine of the deaths and some of the cases are now being investigated by the police.

Many relatives TOI spoke to recalled their harrowing experiences at the nursing home. A few years ago, 37-year-old Shashi Bhushan took his pregnant wife for a check-up to the centre after she was referred there by a female doctor in his locality. What transpired in the next few hours allegedly left his wife crippled for life.

Although Bhushan’s wife was saved after intervention from another hospital, the family was left cash-strapped. She also suffered a miscarriage. “Till date, my wife can’t even eat properly. When she eats, she wants to throw up. She can never conceive again. They took away a life and then ruined my wife’s health,” alleged Bhushan.

Asgar Ali (45) from Sangam Vihar was admitted on September 19 last year for stone removal and underwent surgery the same day. After a botched operation, the hospital allegedly asked his family to move him to another facility.

Ali is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. His relatives told TOI another patient had died at the centre that day and they saw the family arguing with the staff. The other patient was Kiran, hinted the cops.

Kiran’s husband Vijay, meanwhile, recalled that they came to know about the centre through locals in Madanpur Khadar. “My mother-in-law was at the hospital with Kiran. The doctors said she had some other medical issues, which led to complications and her death. We got her post-mortem conducted at AIIMS to uncover the truth and I also filed a case,” he said.

Vijay has been taking care of their two children — a six-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl — and taking up menial jobs for survival. “I have my mother’s support but the kids are my responsibility,” he said.

Narayan’s family said he was not only the sole breadwinner, but also supported his younger brother, who is paralysed. “Not just one, two families were destroyed with his death,” one of his family members said.

Delhi Police had arrested five persons, including two alleged fake doctors who conducted surgeries without proper qualifications, in the case.