Medical negligence alleged after patient dies at Nashik Civil Hospital, audit ordered

Nashik: A 40-year-old man died after allegedly facing delays and lapses in treatment at Nashik Civil Hospital on Saturday, prompting District Collector Ayush Prasad to order an audit into the case on Tuesday.

The audit was ordered following allegations of medical negligence raised by social activist Deepak Doke, who questioned the circumstances surrounding the patient's death and the decision to refer him to a private diagnostic centre for a sonography examination.

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The collector has sought a detailed report covering the deceased’s medical history, treatment records, emergency ward case papers and the reasons for referring him outside the hospital for the diagnostic procedure.  

According to Doke, the patient developed breathing difficulties on Saturday and was initially taken to Regional Referral Hospital by his wife. Since the facility primarily catered to kidney, cancer and cardiac patients, he was stabilised and referred to Civil Hospital. 

However, Doke alleged that after the patient reached Civil Hospital, doctors directed his family to get a sonography done at a private diagnostic centre.

“The patient’s wife requested that all possible treatment be provided within the hospital itself. She was, however, allegedly told to get the sonography done outside,” Doke said, TOI reported.

According to the activist, the patient’s wife arranged transportation to take him to the diagnostic centre. However, the patient allegedly collapsed outside the facility before the examination could be conducted.

He was rushed back to Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

Following this, Doke staged a sit-in protest outside Nashik Civil Hospital and submitted a memorandum to the district collector, demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the patient's death.

Speaking to TOI, Civil Surgeon Satish Shimpi said, “The sonography machine was functional. The patient was examined by a resident doctor from the postgraduate medical college who referred him to the diagnostic centre. Had the chief medical officer been present, the patient would have been admitted.”

He further stated that both the medical college and the hospital administration had been directed to conduct separate inquiries and submit their reports to the district collector.  

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