Family blames doctors as 18-year-old loses life outside Pakpattan hospital

PAKPATTAN: An 18-year-old heart patient lost her life outside Pakpattan’s District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital reportedly after doctors refused to treat her at the hospital’s emergency department, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to ARY News correspondent, the 18-year-old girl’s family claims that the deceased was a heart patient and was brought to hospital in an unconscious condition but doctors and paramedical staff asked her father to bring his National Identity Card (NIC) in order to get his daughter treated at the medical facility.

As the deceased’s father rushed back to his home to bring his NIC, the girl lost her life.

The deceased was brought on a wheel-chair and the hospital staff didn’t provide her with a stretcher even after she lost her life, the family claimed.

‘The patient was brought dead’

CEO Health Pakpattan Rana Imtiaz, on the other hand, claimed that the patient was checked by doctors at emergency department and the family was told that the patient was dead before arrival at the facility.

“When I heard about this incident, I immediately rushed to the DHQ hospital, checked the CCTV footage and inquired about the case, the footage shows that the patient was checked and none stopped (her family), we have evidence that the patient was checked,” said Rana Imtiaz.

He further added that a committee has also been formed to launch a comprehensive probe into the matter.

CCTV footage tells a different story

A CCTV footage, obtained by ARY News, however, told a different story.

The footage shows that the girl was brought in at about 3:58PM at the hospital but was only allowed to enter the premises and go through a medical checkup at about 4:52PM, after almost an hour’s delay.

ARY News correspondent Imdad Hussain reported that the hospital’s administration is following the NIC rule despite a Supreme Court order which dictates that all patients brought in emergency departments should be treated immediately.

CM Punjab takes notice

Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar took notice of the incident and ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter.

The Chief Minister has directed the Deputy Commissioner Pakpattan to investigate the incident from all aspects present a report by 9AM tomorrow (Sunday).