KMC Hospital clarifies on misleading news of Patient’s death

KMC Hospital clarifies on misleading news of Patient’s death

Mangaluru: On September 20, when a team member of mangalorean.com was at the Police Commissioner’s office to attend the Home minister’s press meet at 1:00 pm, a family friend of the deceased Risheel Salian requested help explaining about Risheel Salian (26) who was admitted to the KMC Hospital Attavar in the month of July 2017 and due to multiple organ failures had breathed his last on September 18. And now the hospital authorities were not releasing the body for non-payment.

Immediately Team Mangalorean contacted the concerned official at the Hospital and questioned on why the body was not released after three days of the patient’s death. The official said, “We did not hold the body, they can come and take the body”. The family friend of Risheel was at the same time asked to inform Risheel’s father to take the body. Further, the Hospital official said, “Risheel’s father had admitted Risheel with multiple organ failure. He was admitted to the ICU in July. During admission Ramakrishna, Risheel’s father had said that he was working in the Gulf and his company would pay the bill. Every week while reminded of part payment Ramakrishna had assured that all the bills would be settled by his company and had signed the necessary papers. Later when we got suspicious and contacted Ramakrishna’s company in the Gulf, they right away refused to pay the hospital bills.”

The hospital authorities further said, “The patient had suffered multiple organ failure and was admitted from day 1 in the ICU and was given the best treatment for more than 50 days to save his life. Despite the best efforts of our clinical team, unfortunately, the patient breathed his last on 18th September. The body was immediately given to the custody of his father who said that he didn’t even have money for cremation. Since then he had not come to the hospital. On September 20, the DHO had also called us to inquire about the reason for not releasing the body”.

The hospital authorities also stated, “It is the Policy of the hospital to honour the supreme court ruling which is against holding custody of the body as a hostage for non-settlement of bills. It is unfortunate that there was some inappropriate communication sourced through media. We have already informed the family members to take the body for cremation but the family said that they will take the body on September 21 for cremation. The Hospital authorities have expressed their deepest condolences to the bereaved family”.