56-year-old woman dies after alleged denial of admission at Kalwa Civil Hospital

Thane: A 56-year-old woman died after allegedly being denied admission at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial Hospital (CSMMH) in Kalwa, triggering fresh allegations of negligence against the civic-run facility. 

According to the news reports, the deceased was the wife of the president of the Kalwa Block Congress Committee. She was reportedly taken to the Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Heartcare and Urocare Centre located within the CSMMH premises on Tuesday afternoon after she complained of severe chest pain. 

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The specialised centre, which operates under a public-private partnership model, handles cardiac and urology cases referred by the hospital.

According to the Thane Congress president, the staff at the facility allegedly refused to admit the patient, claiming that no beds were available despite vacancies at the facility. He further alleged that doctors failed to provide even preliminary treatment and instead asked the family to return after two hours. “As her condition deteriorated, the family decided to shift her to another hospital. However, she died on the way,” he claimed, reports TOI.

The incident sparked outrage among Congress workers, who later reached the hospital and confronted the administration over the alleged lapse in treatment.

The Thane Congress president claimed that the family was later informed that two reserved beds were available at the facility, but no explanation was given as to why they were not allotted to the patient. “This reflects serious negligence and insensitivity towards poor patients,” he said while demanding strict action against those responsible for the incident.

He led a protest at the hospital and sought a case of culpable homicide against the responsible doctors and administrative staff. The kin of the deceased must be given Rs 25 lakh as compensation. "If the Thane Municipal Corporation does not take action in the matter by June 6, including dismissal of erring staff, the Congress will hold massive protests," he said, reports India Today.

Speaking to TOI, Dr Swapnali Kadam, dean of CSMMH, said an inquiry committee has been constituted to probe the allegations. The committee is expected to submit its report next week.

The Kalwa hospital, one of the largest civic healthcare facilities in the region, caters to patients from Thane and nearby districts. The hospital had earlier faced criticism after 18 patients died in a single day a few years ago, raising concerns over infrastructure and patient management.

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