Pregnant woman dies after being allegedly denied treatment in Pune hospital; inquiry ordered

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], April 4 (ANI): A pregnant woman, Tanisha Bhise, died in Pune after being ''denied treatment'' due to lack of money by the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital here, her relatives alleged. The Pune District Collector has formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter, and submit its report in the next two days.

However, the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital denied the allegations of the pregnant woman family and termed the family's complaint as "misleading" and driven by frustration over the death. 
The incident ignited protests and several women workers of the Pune BJP unit vandalised the private clinic of a doctor of the Mangeshkar hospital. The deceased woman's husband is the close associate of BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe.
According to victim's relatives, she was not admitted by the hospital despite being in a very serious condition.
Priyanka Patil, sister-in-law of Tanisha Bhise, said that the hospital authorities ''did not admit'' the patient as they were not able to arrange the admission fee.
While speaking to ANI, Priyanka Patil alleged that the hospital authorities demanded Rs 20 lakh from the victim's family.
She said the family was able to arrange Rs 3 lakh in one hour and requested the hospital management to admit the patient, despite all the requests the hospital authorities did not admit her. The family members of the victim demanded strict action against the culprits.
"...When we reached there, they checked her BP...We were told that her condition is critical and they need to do an analysis. They told her not to eat or drink anything...They told us to deposit Rs 20 Lakhs...Her BP further shot up and she even started bleeding. We arranged Rs 3 Lakhs within an hour and rushed to the billing department and urged them to admit her...But they did not accept the money...and demanded the exact amount that was mentioned initially...Doctor told her to consume medicine that was earlier prescribed to her, to stop bleeding. But they did nothing else...We finally tried to take her to Sassoon Hospital and brought a wheelchair on our own. Nobody helped us...Check the CCTVs, they did nothing for 3 hours...", Priyanka Patil said while speaking to ANI.
According to Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi, he received the information about the incident on Thursday and said that a three-member committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the civil surgeon to investigate the matter, and submit the report in the next two days. On its basis further actions will be taken.
"I received the information yesterday that some misconduct might have happened in the hospital, so I have established a three-member committee under the Chairmanship of the civil surgeon. He will submit the report within the next two days and take statements from the guardians and family members as well as hospital authorities... On the basis of this, we will decide the further actions to be taken in terms of the SOPs...", he told ANI
BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe addressed the issue while speaking to ANI and revealed that the victim is one of his close associate who went for admission to the hospital with his pregnant wife.
The BJP MLC added that the couple was asked to pay a fee of Rs 20 lakh. They were denied treatment even after getting a receipt of Rs 10 lakhs, he claimed.
"Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital was started with good intentions, but the hospital is getting defamed due to some people. The recent incident happened with my close associate, who went to the hospital for the admission of his wife, who was pregnant with two babies, and he was asked for a payment of Rs 20 lakhs. They were denied treatment even after giving a receipt of Rs 10 Lakh", Amit Gorkhe claimed.
Gorkhe further said that he called the hospital authorities but they did not consider the request. He further accused the doctor and the medical staff of the Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital and said that he has spoken to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about the matter.
"I even called the medical staff, but they did not consider it. The couple shifted 2-3 hospitals during which the incident happened. My direct accusation is over the doctors and staff of the Deenanath Hospital... I had a discussion on this with CM Devendra Fadnavis, who said that an inquiry committee will be set up to investigate this and the staff and doctors found the culprit will be subjected to immediate action. I demand that such doctors be immediately rusticated... Such hospitals must go through monthly audit...", he added.
Maharashtra minister and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that it was an "unfortunate accident". The treatment was denied due to which the death happened. He added that the CM has intervened into the matter and strict actions will be taken against the culprits.
"It is an unfortunate incident... The doctors had a wrong conduct and the treatment was denied due to which the death happened. The Chief Minister has intervened in the matter. Strict action will be taken against those responsible and such incidents will not be tolerated...", Chandrashekhar Bawankule said while speaking to reporters on Friday.
Shiv Sena MLA and Maharashtra minister Uday Samant stated that action will be taken if the incident is a "murder".
"The CM and Deputy Chief Ministers have expressed their strong emotions about the case. Action will be taken if it is a case of murder. The administration will ensure such incidents are not repeated...", Samant told reporters. (ANI)