At least 17 patients have died in the last 24 hours in civic-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa in Thane city, Maharashtra minister Tanaji Sawant said on Sunday, reported PTI. The hospital is being run by the Thane Municipal Corporation.
The issue came to light when five patients died in a span of 12 hours on August 10.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Ganesh Gawde said, “We have information of 17 deaths in the last 24 hours. We have been told the usual figure per day is six to seven.”
“The hospital management told us some of the patients arrived there in a critical stage and succumbed during treatment. Some were elderly. We have increased police presence at the hospital to avoid any untoward incident due to these high number of deaths,” he added.
Meanwhile, State health minister Sawant said that the dean of the hospital has been asked to submit a report in two days on the 17 deaths in the last 24 hours. Of the 17, 13 patients were in ICU.
“Action will be taken as per the report of the dean. This hospital comes under the state medical education and research department. Its minister Hasan Mushrif has reached the hospital and he is looking into the matter,” Sawant said.
A state-level committee has now been appointed to probe the deaths, reports The Indian Express.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan said “16 deaths” in a single day in a hospital with a capacity of 500 was a matter of concern.