03 March,2017 06:00 AM IST | | Rupsa Chakraborty and Samiullah Khan
Relatives of 73-year-old patient who had suffered a stroke three days ago were shocked to find her whimpering in pain and covered in debris from the broken pillar next to her bed
Nanda Mohite was admitted in the ICU three days ago following a cardiac stroke. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar
Nanda Mohite is terrified of staying at KEM Hospital. The frail 73-year-old resident of Parel was undergoing treatment for a cardiac stroke at the ICU of the hospital's emergency ward when part of a newly-constructed column in the room came down on her last night.
Despite complaining of pain in the legs, hospital authorities allegedly did not check for injuries and administered only sedatives to her to pacify her furious kin and attendants of other patients.
Around 10 pm on Thursday, Prasad (25), Mohite's grandson, stepped out for dinner. When he returned 15 minutes later, his heart skipped a beat. Curled up on the bed was his grandmother -- whimpering and clearly in pain -- lying amongst broken, sharp-edged pieces of tiles from a column. He rushed to her side and questioned her, but a semi-conscious Mohite, who was on a respirator, couldn't recall the events lucidly. Attendants of other patients then filled Prasad in on her close shave.
Tiles from the column tore into Mohite's mattress. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar
"The heavy limestone tiles from the adjacent column fell on her and tore into the mattress to a depth of 3 inch. Some pieces also fell on her legs. Thankfully, none came down on her head," said Prasad.
Pain ignored
Mohite began to complain of a sharp pain in the legs, but the hospital authorities allegedly did not undertake any examination.
When Prasad and other attendants raised an uproar, they allegedly quickly gave her sedatives and put her to sleep.
"She was already struggling for life in the ICU, and despite the fault lying with them, the hospital authorities did not perform even an X-ray of her legs," alleged Prasad.
The hospital authorities allegedly cleared the debris quickly and shifted Mohite, who had suffered a stroke three days ago, to another bed in the ICU.
Arun Rajan, relative of a patient on a bed beside Mohite, said he watched the horror of part of the column caving in unfold before him.
Tiles tore in Mohite's mattress. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar
Debris everywhere
"We were all completely shaken. Chunks of the tiles covered the floor. Such an accident in the ICU of the BMC's biggest hospital is unacceptable."
The hospital's emergency ward has been undergoing reconstruction for some time. The column in the ICU was built recently.
Dr Pravin Bangar, assistant dean of KEM Hospital, said he was out of town and had no information on the incident. Despite repeated attempts, Dr Avinash Supe, dean of the hospital, was not available for comment.
