89-year-old dies within hours of ‘rat-bite’ in Bhayandar hospital ICU

MIRA-BHAYANDAR: An 89-year-old woman undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Government Hospital in Bhayandar (West) was allegedly bitten by a rat on Sunday night. A few hours after the alleged rat-bite, the patient, Suhasini Matekar, died.

A medical officer and a nursing staff member were transferred from Pandit Bhimsen Joshi hospital to Thane civil hospital with immediate effect.

The elderly woman was admitted to the hospital on March 12. She was kept on ventilator support in the ICU on the fourth floor.

The incident came to light on Monday morning when the patient's relatives visited the hospital and noticed that there were injuries to the patient's hand that looked like a rat had gnawed at it. The relatives noticed loss of blood from the injuries. The family claimed that the doctors and nursing staff on duty were unaware of it until they pointed it out.

Locals raised questions about the management and hygiene standards at the government-run hospital, especially when rats are found on the fourth floor of a hospital.

Milan Desai, daughter of the patient, who is an office-bearer of the Shiv Sena (UBT) for Pleasant Park, Mira Road (East), said that she had noticed the presence of rats earlier as well in the ICU and seen rat footprints. She said she had seen rats on Monday morning too.

She alleged her mother died because of loss of blood due to rat-bites. She alleged that the last check-up was done by the staff nurse around 2.30 am on Monday.

Desai's brother, Milind Matekar, said it was shocking that a rat had bitten a patient in the ICU and the hospital staff was not even aware of it. "It was only after we noticed the loss of blood due to rat bite that the staff got in action," he said.

Dr Jafar Tadvi, dean of the hospital, blamed the ongoing construction in the surroundings for the rats. He said that construction work currently underway around the hospital premises has led to an increase in the rat population as excavation had also been carried out.

He said pest control measures and anti-rodent spraying were carried out every week. He confirmed that show-cause notices had been issued to the doctors and nursing staff on duty when the incident took place, and a departmental inquiry committee had also been formed. He added that the patient was admitted for lower respiratory tract infection and other ailments and was kept on ventilator support and the patient's condition was serious.

"Our doctors and nursing staff treated the patient after they realised the alleged rat-bites on the patient," he said.

Sandeep Rane, district president of MNS, said: "This is sheer negligence that a rat reaches the fouth floor of a building and bites a patient who suffers wounds and loss of blood."

He alleged that pest control was not done as claimed by the hospital. He demanded that the dean of the hospital along with the in-charge of the ICU should be suspended.