Told to wrap a dead patient in a sheet,a ward-boy allegedly started to wrap an unconscious man instead at the civic run Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Sion on Tuesday night. Half-an-hour later,that patient too was declared dead,sparking allegations of negligence from his family. Mahadev Upar,45,had been admitted to Ward 5 with chronic tuberculosis and meningitis. His family has filed a police complaint alleging negligence by three doctors,two nurses and two ward boys including Lalit Parkar,the one who allegedly wrapped the wrong patient. Upar was unconscious in bed number 12. On Monday,Motiram Shelar in bed number 11 was declared dead. The nurses asked the ward boy on duty to wrap that body and left for tea, alleges Rakesh Gaikwad,a relative of Upar. Relatives alleged that the ward boy was drunk and hung up a green curtain next to Upars bed. He asked relatives to undress Upar. They did so,thinking this was for treatment. The ward boy then asked them to wait outside. He put cotton in Upars nose,ears and mouth and wrapped him in a white sheet, said Gaikwad. When they saw the body wrapped up,relatives protested and the nurses came running. They started apologising and unwrapped Upar. But half an hour later he died, said Gaikwad,adding,The administrative medical officer on duty asked us to give the complaint in writing to the dean. Dean Dr Sandhya Kamat said,The patient was suffering with end stage liver failure. He was diagnosed with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. The family was informed about his prognosis. He was not fully conscious. I have ordered an internal inquiry on all present at the time.
