The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Bengaluru Urban, has filed a complaint against St John’s Hospital and a doctor for demanding money to treat an Attibele fire victim, who succumbed to his injuries.
A doctor who treated the victim, Venkatesh, allegedly demanded money from his family. On learning about this, an official from the DC’s office filed a complaint at the Koramangala police station
Speaking to DH, a spokesperson of the hospital dubbed the claims baseless.
He said doctors needed skin from a skin bank for grafting. Since they could not get it from Victoria Hospital, they were looking elsewhere.
‘Explained to kin’s sister’
“During that time, the patient’s sister was counselled about Venkatesh’s condition. The resident doctor showed her the name of a Mumbai-based skin bank on his mobile phone. In the same message, it was written that the cost of the skin from this bank was about Rs 40,000. His sister took a photograph of this message. She also took down the name and number of the resident doctor,” the spokesperson said.
“It is very discouraging for the team to suffer this kind of persecution when they are working day and night to save the lives of people in their care. We will face this and prove our innocence,” he added.
A massive blaze in a firecracker godown in Attibele on October 7 had killed 14 people and injured four others. The death toll has touched 16, as of Thursday.
Spokesperson St John’s Hospital:
“It is very discouraging for the team to suffer this kind of persecution when they are working day and night to save the lives of people in their care. We will face this and prove our innocence. "
Published 13 October 2023, 21:41 IST