As many as eighteen patients have died in the past 24 hours in civic-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Maharashtra’s Thane.
Civic commissioner Abhijit Bangar said the casualties included ten women and eight men, with six hailing from Thane city, four from Kalyan, three from Sahapur, one each from Bhiwandi, Ulhasnagar, Govandi (in Mumbai), one from an undisclosed location, and another yet to be identified.
Twelve of the deceased were aged above 50.
Abhijit Bangar revealed that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has ordered the formation of an independent investigation committee. The committee, which will be led by the commissioner of health services, will focus on investigating the clinical aspects surrounding these deaths.
The deceased patients were grappling with various medical complications, ranging from kidney stones, chronic paralysis, ulcers, pneumonia, kerosene poisoning, to septicemia, Abhijit Bangar said.
“The line of treatment will be probed and statements of kin of the deceased etc will be recorded. Allegations of negligence levelled by some kin is a serious matter, which the probe committee will look into,” Abhijit Bangar was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The Thane Municipal Corporation has dispatched officials to the facility to analyze the situation, including an in-depth review of records.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Ganesh Gawde said, “The hospital management told us some of the patients arrived there in a critical stage and succumbed during treatment. Some were elderly. We have increased police presence at the hospital to avoid any untoward incident due to these high number of deaths.”
Jitendra Awhad, NCP leader from the Sharad Pawar camp, criticised the hospital’s management, urging the administration to rectify the situation before it becomes irreversible.