Critically ill patient dies trapped in faulty elevator at GMCH

Was being transported to the ground floor through the lift

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A faulty elevator (Lift) at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has claimed the life of a 62-year-old man. The patient Kishore Gaikwad, admitted for uncontrolled diabetes, died on Friday afternoon after getting stuck in a malfunctioning elevator while being transported for further treatment.

Gaikwad, who retired from government service, lives in the city with his wife. Due to uncontrolled diabetes, Gaikwad started having chest pains on Friday afternoon. With the help of a relative, he was admitted to the OPD of the geriatric department. Gaikwad's condition worsened on Friday, prompting his admission to the geriatric department's OPD. After initial examination and treatment by Dr Shailaja Rao and her team, a decision was made to move him to the ground floor for further care. Accompanied by a doctor, Gaikwad entered the elevator.

However, the elevator abruptly malfunctioned and came to a halt mid-journey. The critical patient, deprived of essential medical attention and adequate oxygen supply, began to deteriorate rapidly. Despite the doctor's efforts to revive him through CPR, Gaikwad succumbed to his condition after being trapped for a staggering 20-25 minutes.

A system in failure

The faulty elevator, reportedly 25 years old, had been earmarked for replacement with a sanctioned budget of Rs 23 lakh. However, the bureaucratic process had delayed the procurement and installation of a new elevator, leading to this fatal consequence.

Will replace the elevator

Administrative sanction has been given for the purchase of new elevators. In the next month, the elevator will be replaced by implementing the purchase process from the electrical department of the public works department, said dean Dr Shivaji Sukre.