Retired army man loses battle against COVID as Bihar hospital gets busy with Health Minister’s visit

PATNA:  A Covid-19 patient a retired army man died on Tuesday following lack of emergency care, his family alleged, even as the staff of Nalanda Medical College & Hospital was busy attending the visiting state health minister Mangal Pandey.

VK Singh (60), hailing from Lakhisarai, was brought to Patna in an ambulance by his family members, including his son Abhimanyu Kumar, for admission to NMCH.

The family members were seen hysterically requesting for emergency medical care with the minister who was leaving the hospital after an official inspection.

The patient reportedly died in the ambulance parked outside NMCH’s Covid ward complex as his family members waited for treatment.

ALSO READ | Jharkhand: COVID patient dies outside hospital while minister was on inspection inside

Abhimanyu later told the media that since a minister was visiting the hospital, his father was denied admission. Earlier, the retired army man was taken to AIIMS-Patna where the hospital cited a shortage of beds and refused to admit him. His family members then took him to NMCH.

Dr Vinod Kumar Singh, Superintendent of NMCH, denied the charges of negligence. He said the patient was “brought dead”.

He also denied that the staff was busy with the minister.

“Only three medical officers were with the minister who wanted to oversee the arrangements in the hospital. It is not right to make such allegations. Everyone is admitted here,” the superintendent said. Calling the death unfortunate, Health Minister Pandey, while speaking to a local TV channel, said beds were being increased in all hospitals.

Doctor refutes family’s allegation

DR Vinod Kumar Singh is the Superintendent of NMCH, where the patient was brought. He said three medical officers were with the minister and the rest were doing their duty. He added that the patient had alreday died when he was brought to NMCH.