Family of H1N1 victim blames RML Hospital for neglect

NEW DELHI: Family members of 25-year-old Sumit Talwar, a H1N1 positive patient who died while being shifted from Balaji Action Hospital to Ambedkar Hospital on December 6, blame doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for his death. They said three days before Sumit succumbed to the infection, he was taken to RML Hospital as he was showing flu-like symptoms.Despite repeated request by the victim's father, doctors didn't take his throat swab for H1N1 testing, the family members alleged.
"Sumit was down with high fever and flu-like symptoms for a few days. Then I took him to RML Hospital on December 3 to get H1N1 test done. But doctors in the hospital said it was common cold and prescribed some medicines and asked the patient to inhale steam to clear the airway," said Kewal Krishan Talwar, Sumit's father.
In Sumit's casualty registration card of RML Hospital (No: E/182585/2009), the attending doctor had written that his SpO2 level was 83%. SpO2 is a measurement of the amount of oxygen attached to the haemoglobin cell in the circulatory system. The normal level should be around 96%. "Anybody with SpO2 level (or saturation) less than 90% must be put on the ventilator or artificial oxygen support. As he was showing flu-like symptoms and 83% saturation, he should have been admitted," said a senior RML doctor.
When contacted Dr NK Chaturvedi, medical superintendent of RML Hospital said, "I have no knowledge about the case. I'll look into the matter tomorrow (Sunday)."
The next day, Sumit's condition worsened and he was admitted in Balaji Action Hospital. "Doctors at this hospital had told me that his saturation had dropped to 67% and he was put on the ventilator. Later, when Sumit tested positive for H1N1 influenza, doctors asked me to shift him to another hospital, as the hospital was not well-equipped to treat the disease," said Talwar.
When contacted, Dr AP Chaudhari, medical director of Balaji Action Hospital, said, "It is a baseless allegation. We have documents to prove that the family took him away despite medical advice against the move."
Balaji Action is one of designated hospital for H1N1 influenza. According to Delhi government sources, there was no official communication by Balaji Action to Ambedkar Hospital about Sumit's condition and that he was being transferred.
Delhi health minister Kiran Walia had ordered an inquiry into the matter after the incident was reported in Times City on December 7. "Our officials have spoken to the hospitals concerned and have taken their versions on the issue. We are yet to speak to the family. The inquiry committee is likely to submit its report by next week," said Walia.