ANANTAPUR/ELURU: The death toll at the Acute Medical Care (AMC) unit of Anantapur Government Hospital increased by another four on Thursday morning, taking the total number of deaths in a span of a little over 24 hours to 13. On the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, nine people died in the AMC. Authorities of the understaffed hospital denied the deaths were due to medical negligence, asserting instead that the conditions of the patients brought to the government hospital was severe. Around 3-4 deaths take place in the AMC on an average every day. Thrice the number died on Wednesday, casting doubts over the validity of the hospital administration’s claims.
Meanwhile, backing the hospital administration’s argument, Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas said there was no negligence on the part of doctors. Speaking to mediapersons in Eluru on Thursday, he said, “All of the patients were brought in the eleventh hour when their illnesses were in the last stages. Further, most of them were old, aged above fifty years.” Flaying mediapersons for creating “unnecessary” panic, he said doctors at the Anantapur Government Hospital tried to save the lives of the patients even when they were brought in at the last minute.
He elaborated that of the nine people, seven were over 50 years of age, one was 80 and another 90. He said they were referred to government hospitals after doctors of private institutions had given up on them. “Preliminary reports indicate that there was no negligence. However, I will visit the hospital on September 30 to assess the situation there,” he said and added that stern action would be taken against anyone found to have been negligent in their duties. The Minister requested mediapersons to refrain from creating panic and instead attempt to build the trust of people in government hospitals.