Mumbai Auto Driver Dies After Doctors 'Refuse' to Admit Him at BMC-run Hospital Twice, Alleges Family

The family of a Mumbai-based man alleged that he died as doctors at the HBT Trauma Care Hospital refused to admit him the first time he was taken on Sunday. The family accused the hospital of negligence.

According to Hindustan Times, the patient, who was an autorickshaw driver in Mumbai’s Jogeshwari, was taken to HBT Trauma Care Hospital on the night of October 1 with complaints of chest pain and discomfort.

The family claims that he was taken to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation-run hospital twice that night as he was constantly feeling discomfort, however, the doctors refused to admit him the first time despite his family’s persistent requests.

“Rajesh came home after 10 pm on Saturday. After dinner, he complained of chest pain and discomfort and started to vomit. We rushed him to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation-run hospital where they conducted an ECG. Though we requested them to admit him, a doctor said the report was normal, gave him an antacid, and sent us home,” Brijesh, his brother, told HT.

The family further said that the victim had relief after the first visit and thus, was taken to the hospital again where another ECG was conducted. They said the doctors in the casualty ward repeated the ECG but did not share the details, gave him a painkiller and sent him home again.

Rajesh again complained of chest pain and discomfort at around 6 in the morning and while being taken to the hospital, he collapsed at the gate of his home and later declared death.

The victim’s family complained that if the doctors had admitted him the first time he was taken to the hospital and kept him under observation, he would have been alive, HT reported.

Meanwhile, the hospital said that the provisional cause of death was left ventricular hypertrophy – thickening of the wall of the heart’s main pumping chamber – and myocardial infarction – heart attack.

As per HT, this was the second such incident at the hospital in the last two weeks where a patient and his relatives insisted on admission but the doctors refused. However, this time a life was lost.