Denied treatment, AMRI hospital's 25-yr-old nurse dies

The Human Resource Development (HRD) department head of AMRI hospital in Salt Lake was beaten up by some hospital employees following the death of a nurse of the hospital. The hospital employees who were agitating since morning alleged that the nurse who had fallen ill on Wednesday night was not treated in the hospital and was told that she would be taken to ESI Hospital the following morning for treatment.

According to sources, Uma Kesh, one of the nurses of the AMRI hospital in Salt Lake had sought sick leave two days back complaining of illness but was not granted leave by the nursing superintendent Tulika Roy.

On Wednesday night, she complained of serious illness with a severe headache. "She was taken to the emergency wing and was only given pain killers.

Though the doctor prescribed immediate CT scan, it was not done as Roy had said that it was not needed. There was total dereliction of duty on the part of the hospital. She was a nurse of the hospital but she was told to go to the ESI Hospital and was offered no treatment," one of her colleagues said on conditions of anonymity. Kesh (25), a resident of Odisha was working as a staff nurse in the hospital for four years.

After Kesh died at around 7.20 am, when the employees started agitating and in the afternoon, they spotted HRD head Gautam Nair coming out of the hospital, they beat him up. Hospital sources said that Nair was going out to talk to the agitators when he was thrashed.

Nair suffered injuries in his head as he fell down to the ground. The police were informed who rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Local Councillor

Tulsi Sinha Roy said: "We demanded immediate suspension of the nursing superintendent and a departmental inquiry to find out who are the others who have neglected their duty. The hospital authorities have agreed to do so and have already suspended her (Tulika Roy)."

Tulsi Sinha Roy further claimed that the hospital has also agreed to pay compensation to the family members of the deceased as the victim died while on duty.

Rupak Barua, the CEO of the hospital termed the death as unfortunate and said: "We are taking all responsibility of the deceased. An inquiry will be conducted and if somebody is found to be negligent, strong action will be taken."