Bengaluru hospital releases Covid-19 victim's body after minister’s intervention

A Covid patient’s body was released to the patient’s family after Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar intervened at a private hospital in Bengaluru.

According to the minister’s office, the family of a 62-year-old patient hailing from Rajasthan had difficulty in getting his body after he died of Covid at Manipal Hospital, Jayanagar.

The family had alleged that even after 40 days of treatment, the patient was not cured of Covid, although the family was charged exorbitantly and was also informed that he was Covid negative.

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However, the post-mortem report mentioned that the patient was Covid positive. “How can infection persist after 40 days of treatment?” the family sought to know. Even though the patient passed away on the morning of December 23, the family was not handed over the body till evening that day.

The minister enquired with the hospital authorities as soon as he heard about the incident. However, the hospital alleged that it could not be faulted as it was merely waiting for BBMP’s clearance to handover the body.

A statement from Manipal Hospital said that the patient had a severe form of Covid and the best possible care and treatment was given including advanced care with ECMO. Unfortunately, the patient succumbed to the illness after a prolonged course.

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“The family was periodically apprised of the patient’s treatment and his condition including the possible outcomes. RT-PCR test for Covid done twice during the initial period of hospitalisation was positive and a subsequent Covid test by Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) was negative,” the hospital’s statement said.

Clarifying further, the hospital statement said, “As a policy, we do not withhold the body for any reason including financial, except when there is a requirement by the government regulation. The body was released immediately on receiving clearance from BBMP.

The family has taken the body post the clearance of the BBMP authorities, as per the norms,” the hospital said.