india

Updated: Jun 03, 2017 09:29 IST

In a bizarre incident, an elderly woman had to drag her ill husband along the floor to get his scanning done as she was allegedly not provided a wheelchair at a government run-hospital. IANS reports that the woman was denied a stretcher after she refused to pay a bribe for it.

The video of the incident, where Amir Saab, aged about 75, is seen being dragged by his foot along the floor by his wife Fameeda, sparked outrage, with the government ordering an inquiry into it.

“I had to drag him from the general ward as I could not afford to give Rs 50 bribe to the hospital staff,” 65-year-old Fameeda told reporters.The incident occurred on May 31, at the state government-run McGann Hospital.

Shimoga Mcgann Hospital Staff neglegency, suffered poor Patient... pic.twitter.com/O4p4TdELpm — G.V. Mohanakrishna (@GVMohanakrishn1) June 2, 2017

According to the patient, his wife was not provided a wheelchair by hospital authorities, despite repeated requests.

“We were fed up after repeatedly asking for a wheelchair. No one gave it. So my wife dragged me outside. By then someone came. They raised their voice against hospital authorities and got us the wheelchair,” Amir Saab said.

He said he has back pain after being dragged along the floor and also complained that doctors were not visiting “properly”.

Health department officials said Amir Saab was admitted on May 25 due to some lung problem, breathing issues and swelling in the body. The physician after conducting tests, had advised an abdomen scan on May 30, they said.

The “unfortunate” incident should not have occurred as there were adequate number of wheelchairs, the hospital officials said, adding, an inquiry would be held regarding the lapses.

“We have suspended nurses Asha, Chaithra, and Jyothi, and attender Suvaranamma for not providing the stretcher to the patient,” McGann Hospital medical superintendent TB Satyanarayana told IANS.

Minister for medical education Sharan Prakash Patil, under whose department the hospital comes, has ordered an inquiry. Stating that he was “surprised” by the incident, Patil said he would ask for the report and take action against those responsible.

Health minister Ramesh Kumar said officials told him the patient’s family was “impatient” to wait for the wheelchair.

“But I told officials that such incidents should not have happened at a government hospital. So conduct an inquiry and submit a report, so that action can be taken against those responsible,” he said.

Kumar while apologising to the public for the incident, also appealed to them not to loose faith in government hospitals because of such stray incidents.