Government medical colleges and hospitals in the city face allegations — accident victims not being attended to, wrong treatment, misbehaviour and even doctors issuing incorrect death certificates — almost every other day. The standard response from the authorities to every such case, especially when violence shakes them up, is a probe to fix responsibility and a promise to take stringent action.

But the director of medical education, S. Banerjee, said he had received a probe report from just one government hospital in recent times. That report, pertaining to the death of a young housewife at Medical College and Hospital last month, absolved the doctors of all blame.

Metro revisits some of the cases that triggered controversy in hospitals in the past two months.

Date: 14.07.2008

Hospital: National Medical College and Hospital

Incident: Two-and-a-half-year old thalassaemia patient Rimo is repeatedly pricked by junior doctors who cannot find a vein to insert the needle into for a round of blood transfusion. When the boy’s parents protest, the doctors allegedly abuse his father. Later, when Rimo is denied a bed, his parents protest again and are allegedly “threatened and manhandled” by the hospital staff.

Reality check: “I have asked junior doctors not to conduct any medical procedure on children in front of their mothers after that incident. One may have to prick a needle a couple of times to find a vein, but to a mother, it will obviously seem like cruelty,” medical superintendent S.K. Saha said.

An inquiry committee is supposed to submit its report to him within this week.

Date: 13.07.2008

Hospital: Medical College and Hospital

Incident: Punam Mahato, 26, is taken to the hospital around 12.30pm with high fever. The doctors on duty give her two shots, prescribe some medicines and say she doesn’t require hospitalisation. Punam’s condition deteriorates on the way back home. She is declared dead on arrival when the family returns with her to the hospital. In a fit of grief laced with anger, the girl’s family members assault a junior doctor and two police personnel. Four persons, including Punam’s younger brother, are arrested.

A young housewife, Shilpi Bangal, had died of a drug-induced disease — toxic epidermal necrolysis — in the same hospital the previous month. Her family members lodged a police complaint and met health minister Surjya Kanta Mishra, who ordered a probe.

Reality check: “We formed a committee in the Punam Mahato case, which submitted a primary report to the health department. A more detailed report is being prepared,” medical superintendent Arup Roy said.

A similar committee gave a clean chit to doctors in Shilpi’s case.

Date: 06.07.2008

Hospital: SSKM

Incident: Suku Hembram, a 30-year-old woman, is to be administered an injection at 8pm. A nurse arrives and, according to Suku’s sister, administers the injection to the patient next to her. She then allegedly asks if that is bed number 37, and on being told that it is 38, responds with an “ok” and leaves. Suku is given the shot only the next morning, but dies soon afterwards.

Reality check: “An inquiry committee is probing the case,” a senior official of the hospital said.

Dates: 14.06.2008 and 09.06.2008

Hospital: Nilratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital

Incident: Deccan employee Saheli Roy, 25, meets with an accident on the EM Bypass and is taken by policemen to NRS instead of Apollo Gleneagles, the nearest hospital. Allegedly left untreated for a long time, she dies.

On June 9, an accident victim Hamida Khatoon, 62, is brought to the same hospital. She is bleeding profusely. Her left leg is fractured and she has critical chest and hand injuries. The doctors allegedly refuse to admit her and give her only first aid. She dies on the way home in a taxi.

Reality check: “The inquiries into both incidents have been completed and the reports will be sent to the director of medical education soon,” said L. K. Ghosh, the superintendent of the hospital.