Kanpur: Three staff members of Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital in Kanpur, including a junior resident doctor and a nurse, were suspended after a living patient was erroneously declared dead on paper, prompting post-mortem formalities, an official said.
The incident came to light on Saturday evening when police personnel arrived at the Medicine Ward to shift the body to the mortuary, only to find the patient, Vinod (42), alive. Sanjay Kala, principal of Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College, under which the hospital operates, confirmed the error.
“A three-member inquiry committee has been constituted to probe the incident. The committee, comprising vice-principal Richa Agarwal, chief medical superintendent Saurabh Agarwal, and superintendent-in-charge Rakesh Singh, has been directed to submit a report within 48 hours. Strict action will be taken based on the findings,” Kala said.
The mistake occurred in Medicine Ward Number 12, where two destitute patients were admitted on adjacent beds – Vinod on bed 42 and an unidentified elderly man, around 60 years old, on bed 43. The elderly patient died during treatment on Saturday. However, the junior doctor allegedly filled out Vinod’s medical file, officially declaring him dead.
When police arrived for post-mortem procedures, they were stunned to find Vinod alive. The revelation caused panic in the hospital, prompting senior officials, including Rakesh Singh and Sanjay Kala, to rush to the ward. The junior doctor later admitted the mistake and apologised.
Confirming the lapse, Singh said the error was due to incorrect documentation. “The junior doctor mistakenly filled out the file of the wrong patient. The records were corrected and sent to police again,” he said.
Police contacted Vinod’s relatives using a phone number from his medical records. After seeing him alive, they left the hospital shortly thereafter.
The unidentified elderly man had been admitted around five days ago after police failed to establish his identity. He was suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea and died during treatment. His body has since been sent for post-mortem, according to Govind Nagar SHO Rikesh Kumar Singh.
Hospital authorities said Vinod is stable. His relatives were advised to stay with him and take him home once his condition improved, but they allegedly refused and later disappeared from the hospital. Vinod continues to receive treatment at the hospital.
With PTI inputs