Bizarre: Jhansi hospital uses patient's severed leg as pillow
What's the story
Creating a major controversy, a hospital in Jhansi used a road accident victim's severed leg as a pillow to prop his head up. His family says the only real pillow they had was instead used to support the man's thigh on the stretcher. Authorities have now ordered a probe into the incident at Maharani Laxmi Bai Jhansi Medical College.
Details
Ghanshyam lost his leg in a bus accident
The victim, Ghanshyam, was the cleaner of a school bus at the Deepak Memorial School. Yesterday, the bus had an accident in Mauranipur, 65km from Jhansi, when it overturned while trying to avoid a collision with a tractor-trolley. Several children were injured. Ghanshyam lost his leg. He was given emergency treatment at a local medical center, then sent to the Jhansi medical college.
Blame game
Patient, hospital blame each other
Ghanshyam's mother, who accompanied him to the hospital, told reporters they didn't have enough pillows, so doctors put his leg under his head. But college principal Dr Sadhna Kaushik said a relative of Ghanshyam who had the leg refused to give it to doctors even after medico-legal formalities were completed. She added it was the "patient's attendant (who) used the leg" as a pillow.
Action
Four medical staffers suspended over the incident
The medical education minister has since suspended the emergency medical officer, a senior resident and two sisters on duty. Departmental proceedings would also be initiated against the consultant doctor on call who had failed to respond on time, officials said. A four-member committee will investigate and submit a report within 48 hours and further action will be taken accordingly, Kaushik said.