Dimapur, August 27 (MExN): A week after the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR) clarified on reports of a patient’s demise in the hospital, the elder sister of the deceased has issued a press statement presenting ‘certain facts and queries’ on the same.
“…I , being the elder sister of the deceased who was 6 months old pregnant and the sole witness of the incident would like to present some facts and queries,” the sister of the deceased stated on August 27.
She questioned why the concerned doctor at CIHSR did not immediately run RT PCR test on the patient when she arrived at the emergency department if she was declared COVID-19 positive using Rapid Antigen Test from Zion hospital on July 23.
“CIHSR hospital being the only hospital with BSL lab facilities in Dimapur District, did they run the confirmative test on the patient? If yes, then where is the test report? And how accurate is RAT from RT PCR or BSL lab report?,” she wrote.
Citing the death certificate issued to the family members by CIHSR on July 26, she noted that the primary cause of death is clearly written as ‘septic shock’ and secondary cause as ‘COVID-19 infections (Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)’.
Stating that the hospital in its statement had highlighted the patient with no pregnancy related complications, no rib fracture owing to fall injury, she contended that the primary cause in the death certificate should have been COVID-19 death and not secondary as mentioned.
The deceased’s sister also questioned as to how the concerned hospital stated that there was no pregnancy related problem or rib fracture whereas she was referred to Dimapur for cases related to bleeding and chest pain after she suffered a fall on July 11. "Citing no visible rib fracture, how did the doctor diagnose the mild breathing discomfort for chest injury to severe breathlessness with high respiratory rate and low oxygen saturation? Why she was further confirmed COVID-19 positive by the X-Ray result and not RT – PCR Test when the hospital has Lab facilities," she queried.
“Ignoring the urgent need of proper medical attention and treatment for bleeding and chest pain for which she was referred to Dimapur, the victim was sent to COVID-19 ICU directly from emergency room (CIHSR) that reflects medical negligence on the part of the hospital,” the statement added.
Refuting the hospital’s claims that formal consent was obtained from the relatives before admission to COVID-19 ICU, the sister also said that she was instructed to buy medicines from the pharmacy. When she returned along with the medicines, it was informed that her sister (the deceased) had been shifted to the COVID-19 ICU.
“Therefore with great dismay, I declare that I was not provided or asked to sign any consent form prior to her admission to COVID ICU, and so no formal consent was obtained from the relative as claimed , as I was the only relative who accompanied her to the Emergency Room and she was shifted during my absence,” she added.
Further, she said that, contrary to the hospital’s clarifications, except for the death certificate, all other reports and necessary documents were withheld by the hospital. When requested for the same, they bluntly refused to give, she alleged.
In light of these facts and statements, the deceased’s sister asked CIHSR to do the needful by providing all the necessary reports and documents.
While the lost souls cannot be brought back, the deceased patient and her child deserves the truth, she added.
