20 Deaths In 6 Months At Uttarakhand Hospital; Questions Raised Over Appointment of Doctors, Cleanliness

Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat recently conducted a surprise inspection of the Dialysis Centre at Haldwani’s Base Hospital in Uttarakhand, which operates under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). The inspection exposed serious mismanagement issues within the unit. During the inspection, it was observed that over 20 patients had allegedly died at the centre in the past six months. The Commissioner’s visit was prompted by concerns from patients and their families about the centre’s operational conditions. The complaints included outdated equipment, insufficient staffing, and poor maintenance of facilities.

The state in-charge of NephroPlus, which manages the dialysis centre, observed the facility’s arrangements and was presented with a memorandum by patients and their attendants. The memorandum requested the immediate deployment of two nephrologists on a contract basis and highlighted several issues, including the use of outdated equipment and poor maintenance.

Concerns were raised about the use of retired doctors and trainees who had been out of practice for over 24 years. There were also demands to repair malfunctioning machines, ensure that fans are operational during power outages, and adhere to staffing standards. The oxygen pipeline, which had been non-functional for years, also required urgent repair. Furthermore, attendants reported that although the OPD hours are from 8 am to 2 pm, retired doctors often leave by 11:30 am, resulting in patients being referred for critical care after their departure.

In response to the findings, the state in-charge, Jitendra Kumar, promised immediate improvements. He committed to appointing a full-time doctor at the centre, ensuring the use of single-use dialysers, and upgrading the facility with new beds and BP machines within a week. Kumar also pledged to address cleanliness issues.

Patients were advised to file complaints through a designated complaint box, and Kumar emphasised that while attendants are welcome to visit their relatives, they should remain in the waiting area and not enter the dialysis unit directly.