Gujarat Health Minister orders inquiry into death of 2 patients at Khyati hospital in Ahmedabad

Nov 12, 2024

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], November 12 : Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel ordered an inquiry on Tuesday into the deaths of two patients at Khyati Hospital in Ahmedabad.
In a post on X, Minister Patel called the incident "very serious" and said that an immediate inquiry will be carried out by the State Anti-Fraud Unit (SAFU) of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).
"The alleged incident at Khyati Hospital is very serious. I have ordered an immediate inquiry by the State Anti-Fraud Unit (SAFU) of PMJAY. If there is any substance to the allegations or evidence of medical negligence, severe action will be taken against the hospital and the doctors involved," the post mentioned.
The deaths allegedly occurred following medical procedures.
Speaking to ANI, PMJAY Deputy Director UB Gandhi expressed concern over the incident. "This is a very unfortunate incident. Our team is en route to the hospital and will gather all relevant information, such as the number of angiograms and angioplasties performed, and whether each angioplasty was indicated."
"The records will be thoroughly reviewed, and our cardiology team will also be involved in the investigation. A report will be submitted to the commissioner, and necessary action will be taken," Gandhi said.
Nayan Patel, a resident of the village where the incident took place, shared his concerns with ANI. He explained, "There was an issue related to Khyati Hospital; they informed us about something. Later, my mother faced health issues related to this report, and they asked her to come for another test the following day." Patel's father then took his mother for the test, where the hospital conducted an angiography without fully explaining the procedure or its results.
He said, "My father was informed that there was no issue with his heart, yet they placed two stents without notifying anyone. This happened without any proper communication." He added, "I'm not feeling any physical discomfort, but I don't know what steps to take next."
Patel then expressed concerns over a lack of transparency regarding the medical procedures conducted in hospitals.
"I heard that out of the seven people tested, two passed away, even though they were all farmers with no health problems. How did they die? Everyone had stents placed, and angiographies were done without informing their families. I don't even know who signed the documents authorizing these procedures. Everyone came alone, and there's no clarity on who signed for them," Patel told ANI.
Speaking to ANI, Mitesh Patel, a resident of Boris village, said, "A medical camp was set up here. Two days before the 10th, banners were put up, and on November 10, the camp began at 9 am They informed everyone that if further treatment was needed, they'd have to go to the hospital. On November 11, a bus arrived at 9 am to transport people to the hospital. In total, 19 villagers went, including both men and women. Out of them, 90 percent were completely healthy, yet the hospital staff used their Ayushman cards without notifying family members and quickly performed angiographies on all of them. When they decided stents were necessary, they inserted them without family notification or permission."
"Two people lost their lives in this process. The hospital prioritised cash payments at the reception before proceeding with the surgeries. Now, we are in the process of seeking justice. We have filed a police complaint and submitted a formal request," he added.