Hospital administration denies reports; enquiry suggests allegations are baseless. PHOTO: ONLINE
The demand came after a duty officer hurled allegations against the government and held it responsible for the incident. But the representative tasked with conducting the enquiry has termed reports about the death of the patients to be “completely baseless”.
Out-of-order
“I could see a child taking her last breath in my hands and that was really painful,” Dr Nasir, who was on duty at KTH’s dialysis centre from 10pm on March 28 till 8am on March 29, told The Express Tribune.
Earlier, Nasir said other patients were referred to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and Institute of Kidney Diseases (IKD).
He said the dialysis machines went out-of-order around 10:30pm. According to the duty officer, a letter was immediately sent to KTH’s deputy medical superintendent requesting him to call an engineer.
However, even after 30 minutes, no one came to repair the machines.
Fact or fiction
Nasir provided evidence, including a copy of the letter and slips with details on why patients were being referred to other facilities. But, the KTH administration has termed the allegations baseless and concocted.
However, a statement issued by the administration admits that a patient who was suffering from Hepatitis C virus (HCV) died in the dialysis department.
“I admit we have an excessive workload,” KTH Nephrology Department Head Dr Nisar Anwar said. “But I can confirm we have 13 machines [that are] in working condition. Three new machines are being installed and we carry out duties even during public holidays.”
According to Anwar, the deputy medical superintendent received information. However, the machine could only be repaired by a private company and it was difficult to immediately have it repaired at night.
“One person died at the facility,” he said. “But she was suffering from low blood pressure.”
Dr Anwar said 16,500 cases were handled in 2015. He added the news generated panic among the health secretary and other relevant officials.
He maintained that KTH was the only public sector health facility where dialysis was performed round-the-clock.
“I don’t say machines work properly round-the-clock,” he said. “We cannot refuse to treat patients and refer them to other facilities.”
Immediate enquiry
Soon after the matter went viral on social media, it also generated ripples in the corridors of power.
A senior health department official, who requested anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media, said Chief Minister Pervez Khattak discussed the matter during a meeting on Wednesday after it was brought to his notice.
He added Chief Minister’s Complaint and Redressal Cell (CRC) Chairperson Dilroz Khan, a member of the KTH board of governors. As a result, Khattak directed Dilroz to immediately launch an enquiry and submit a report on the same day.
When contacted at around 7pm on Wednesday evening, the CRC chairperson said he had been directed by the chief minister to visit KTH, assess the situation and file a detailed report.
“I have personally visited the [dialysis] centre and found that all the machines were in working condition and the reports about death of five people was found to be completely baseless,” he told The Express Tribune.
The chairperson said one of the victims – a 22-year-old woman – had died of another cause.
He added around 58 dialyses were carried out on March 28 while 78 were conducted on March 29.
However, Dilroz added an enquiry was ordered to determine who started these rumours and why they were spread.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2016.
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