Negligence slur on private nursing home in Siliguri- Family members face bill problem

SNS, SILIGURI,16 MAY 21 : A family in Siliguri today leveled allegations against a private nursing home at Pradhan Nagar about "improper treatment" of a patient, which they said led to his death. The 62-year-patient had earlier tested positive for Covid- 19.

The family members alleged that the husband and wife duo had been admitted in the private hospital on 4 May.

"My parents had contracted Covid-19. Initially, they had been kept in a hotel hired by the nursing home for Covid -19 patients without any treatment since 4 May. There are no treatment facilities in the hotels. They bring the patients to the hospitals only when they develop breathing problems," the son of the deceased said.

"They had undergone CT scan on 8 May, and the reports showed high chest infection level for my father, but it was satisfactory for my mother. But we shifted our mother to another private hospital at Khalpara yesterday where we found her infection level was higher through another CT scan, which meant her condition was serious in the previous nursing home when they were supposed to contain the infection. My father passed away at 2.45 am today. Their last Covid tests reports suggested negative results and we received that today," he added.

Family members face bill problem

In another incident, a youth from Alipurduar alleged that he was denied information about her mother as he could not pay the "exorbitant" nursing home bills.

Gopi Rava, in his mid 20s, said that they had sold their property back home to pay the bills.

"My mother was admitted to the nursing home at Salugara after she had tested positive for Covid-19 on 10 May. I did not get a bed in the other hospital. I paid Rs 50,000 during her admission, and also paid around Rs 1 lakh later. I had arranged the sum after selling property. But I am unable to get her health status because I have failed to clear the bill further," Mr Rava said.

Carrying the Swasthya Sathi card, a cashless health insurance scheme of the state government, Mr Rava said he came to know yesterday that he will have to pay around Rs 1.37 lakh more.

"How will I arrange more money? I have nothing left. The nursing home authorities refused to accept the Swasthya Sathi card," he said.

Taskforce to monitor nursing homes

The chairperson of the board of administrators of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Gautam Deb, today said the Darjeeling district magistrate will constitute a task-force to ease the problems of overcharging and reluctance on accepting the Swasthya Sathi card, faced by the common people. Mr Deb said the administration will take legal steps if ambulances charge higher rates.

"The task force will see that the government guidelines are implemented.The administration will not hesitate to take legal steps if the ambulances are found to be involved in overcharging. A meeting with ambulance operators will be held tomorrow," he said.

Mr Deb held a meeting with the district magistrate, S Ponnambalam, Siliguri police commissioner Gaurav Sharma, civic body commissioner Sonam Wangdi Bhutia and other officers today.

He accused the Centre of dilly dallying the functioning of two oxygen plants. He also said that a safe home will be set up at Siliguri Government Polytechnic.

A 40-bed Covid ward is also coming up in the Siliguri District Hospital, with 20 of the beds to be fitted with oxygen support. Mr Deb said efforts were being made to arrange for some ICU beds too.

390 new Covid cases in Darjeeling district

Darjeeling district recorded 390 new Covid -19 cases, while the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, including areas under Jalpaiguri district, registered 275 cases today, sources said.Health department officials said 361 Covid patients had also recovered in the last 24 hours in government Covid facilities.

Eighty-two cases were reported from Matigara Block, 39 in Naxalbari , 17 in Kurseong Municipality, 12 in Sukna, 11 cases in Kharibari, six in Phansidewa, five in Sukhia Pokhari, four in Bijanbari, three in Mirik and two in Darjeeling Municipality.

11 Covid patients die

Eleven persons, who had tested positive for Covid-19, died in Siliguri in the past 24 hours, sources said.

Nine of them died in the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, while two persons died in two separate private nursing homes.