Varun Gandhi calls for review of Sanjay Gandhi hospital’s hasty license suspension
Varun Gandhi appeals for reconsideration of Amethi hospital license suspension
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Varun Gandhi voiced apprehensions on Friday over the sudden suspension of Sanjay Gandhi Hospital’s license in Amethi. He appealed to the Uttar Pradesh government to reconsider the decision, arguing that it had been made without a comprehensive inquiry. The state health department had earlier put a stop to the hospital’s OPD and emergency services and suspended its license following an investigation into a woman’s death.
The Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Trust New Delhi, chaired by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, operates the Amethi hospital. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, also from the Congress party, are members of the trust. The decision to suspend the hospital’s license was confirmed by Uttar Pradesh’s deputy chief minister, Brajesh Pathak, who attributed it to the woman’s death.
Varun Gandhi made his concerns public on a social media platform, sharing a copy of his letter to Pathak. He expressed his hope for continued access to medical services for citizens, while advocating for a transparent inquiry that addresses immediate concerns and rectifies systemic issues contributing to such unfortunate incidents.
The BJP MP from Pilibhit argued that the hasty suspension of the Amethi hospital’s license is unfair to those who rely on the institution not only for primary healthcare services but also for their livelihoods. “While accountability is crucial, it is imperative that principles of fairness and impartiality be upheld,” he stated.
Pathak had previously stated that action would be taken against all hospitals found to be operating illegally or negligent in patient treatment. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai had on Wednesday appealed to chief minister Yogi Adityanath to revoke the suspension of the hospital’s license, citing public interest and inconvenience caused to the local population.
Rai highlighted that the hospital had been providing health care facilities to nearby areas at minimal charges, without any profit motive, for many years. Responding to this, Pathak, also the health portfolio holder, said the incident at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital was distressing and action was taken after a local-level probe.
Health department officials reported on Tuesday that, under the deputy chief minister’s direction, a three-member team led by additional CMO Dr Ram Prasad conducted an investigation into the matter. Their report found negligence in the treatment given to Divya, a 22-year-old woman, and concluded that specialist doctors’ timely intervention could have saved her life.
Divya was admitted to the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital on September 14 complaining of a stomach ache. After examination, doctors recommended a gallbladder stone removal operation. However, she fell into a coma before the operation and was kept at the hospital for over 30 hours before being referred to Lucknow, according to her family. Divya passed away in Lucknow on September 16, her husband Anuj Shukla alleged, adding that she had suffered a heart attack at the Amethi hospital.
