He has been on a hunger strike for a week, claiming that his wife died due to the hospital's negligence.
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A young man is on a hunger strike to death on Maitighar Road in the hot sun of Tantlapur. A baby born just a few weeks ago is kept in a tent next to him. Family members are taking turns taking care of him.
This young man is Sujan Bik from Tandi, Chitwan.
He has been on a hunger strike for a week, claiming that the death of his wife Asmita Tamang Bik was due to the negligence of the hospital.
Why did he come to Maitighar in the scorching sun with his newborn son?
Sujan reached Bakulhar Ratnanagar Hospital in Chitwan on April 8 after his wife Asmita, 27, fell ill. According to him, his wife was admitted on the same day. Asmita underwent surgery on the 9th as per the doctor's advice. After her health condition appeared normal, she was shifted to the ward. ‘However, the doctor did not come to check on Asmita’s health even after 24 hours of the surgery,’ Sujan said.
He said that he called the nurse after Asmita complained of difficulty breathing around 8:30 on the 10th. ‘When the nurse arrived, phlegm and blood suddenly came out of her mouth . I was scared, but the nurses said that it was because of the tube they had put in her throat, and that this was normal,’ he said. ‘Then they steamed her . I asked the nurse to call the doctor . After the nurse asked several times, the doctor finally arrived in just 25 minutes .’
He said that even though he requested to keep the patient in the ICU, the doctor advised him to take her to another hospital, saying that the ICU was not available .
‘Before I could put Asmita on the trolley, she gasped . She had already passed away there . But the hospital made a document saying that she was 'alive' and asked her to go to another hospital,' Sujan said, 'When Asmita was taken to CMC, the doctor said that she had died 20 minutes ago.' He says that he was then unconscious and that relatives and hospital people had tampered with various documents.
Sujan says that despite going to many places for the investigation of the incident and justice for his wife, he was ignored. 'When I tried to file a complaint with the municipality, ward office and police, I did not get any support from anywhere,' he said, 'I went to many places to get an investigation. Instead, they said something. After nothing worked, I came to Kathmandu. I have also filed a complaint with the Medical Council.'
He, who is on a hunger strike to death, has been taken to the hospital and given saline when he has problems. He is being supported by his mother and 11-year-old son and brother at his maternal home. Sujan and Asmita got married 13 years ago. He had been driving a rented car for the past 12 years to support his family.
Investigation committee at the hospital, petition to the council
Bakulhar Hospital has said that it has started an investigation into the incident. Information Officer Rajkumar Ghimire said that a team of six specialist doctors has been formed and an investigation has been started. 'The committee has conducted a detailed investigation into the process from patient admission to surgery and subsequent treatment,' he said. 'The hospital has also informed the concerned ministry about the incident.'
He says that Asmita died due to some complications. 'The patient underwent surgery at the hospital.' He was kept under observation for 24 hours,' Ghimire said, 'When the condition seemed normal, he was transferred to the ward, but after being transferred to the ward, some complications occurred and the patient died.'
Ghimire says that he went on strike when the family urged him to go through the legal process and that the hospital also wanted a fair investigation. 'If a doctor has made a mistake, the right to take action lies with the legal body, not with the hospital. The hospital had repeatedly urged the victim to file a complaint with the Medical Council or the relevant body,' he said, 'but they went on strike directly without going through the complaint process. There is no legal basis for providing compensation through the government without proving the mistake. The hospital has also not tried to protect anyone. It wants a fair investigation.'
Sunita Prajapati, administrative officer of the Nepal Medical Council, said that the family has already filed a petition regarding Asmita's death. 'The petition has been received.' Based on this, we are in the process of holding an official committee meeting and requesting the initial file from the hospital,' she said. After receiving the documents, she said that further investigation will be carried out, starting with taking statements from doctors as needed.
