"Doctor's birthday celebration delayed surgery, resulting in deaths": Ambadas Danve

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Ambadas Danve alleged that a doctor's birthday celebrations led to the delay of a Caesarean section procedure, resulting in the tragic deaths of a woman and her baby at Nanded's Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Hospital and Medical College. This disclosure has sparked concerns about medical negligence and medicine shortages at the hospital.

Danve, the leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, made these claims after visiting the hospital, where 31 patients had tragically died within 48 hours. He asserted that one doctor's birthday celebrations had caused the delay in the crucial operation.

"I spoke to the relatives of Vijaymala Kadam. She was admitted to the hospital around 7 a.m. Her Caesarean was done at 3 a.m. Her relatives told me that a doctor organized his birthday celebrations, and therefore the operation was delayed. Had the operation been performed on time, the woman and baby would have survived. Her death is due to the negligence of the hospital’s doctors," Danve stated, demanding an investigation into the matter.

Danve also claimed that doctors at the hospital informed him of medicine shortages, which compelled them to request patients' relatives to procure medicines from outside the hospital. He highlighted a case where a family spent Rs 70,000 on purchasing medicines externally.

Critiquing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's earlier statements, Danve accused the government of providing false information. "The chief minister has claimed that the hospital had adequate staff and that medicine stock was also available. The chief minister is clearly lying. The dean of the hospital was appointed by the state government itself. If the dean himself is saying that there was a shortage of medicines, then how can the chief minister claim that the hospital had adequate stock of medicines?" he questioned.

Danve also presented hospital documents requesting medicine supplies and revealed that a significant stock of Rs 3.5 crore in medicine was sought from the Haffkine Institute last year, which has not yet been delivered. He emphasized that medicine procurement should be a top priority, and raised concerns about the procurement process.

"This is not happening just in Nanded, but the situation is the same across the state. If several works are undertaken without tenders… I am not saying medicines should be purchased without tenders. But medicine purchase should be a top priority… Officers who work at higher levels should also be probed as there has been negligence in this case," he added.