Bhairahawa, November 12

An inquiry set up to look into a death-during-treatment case of a student at the Bhairahawa-based Universal College of Medical Sciences and Teaching Hospital three-and-a-half months ago has established that the death was caused due to negligence on the part of the hospital.

Twenty-four-year-old Mahadev Sah, a BDS third year student at the medical college, was discharged from the hospital following a minor surgery of a boil on July 30. But, the patient was admitted to the hospital again four days later after he complained of unbearable pain. He died in the course of treatment the next day.

In the wake of the death and the ensuing vandalism and agitation by fellow students at the college, District Administration Office, Rupandehi, had formed a probe committee led by the chief of Lumbini Zonal Hospital, Medicine Department, Dr Bishnu Poudel to investigate the case.

According to Federation of Nepali Journalists Rupandehi Vice-chairperson Dinesh Pande, who is also a member of the committee, the inquiry panel submitted its report to Rupandehi DAO before Tihar. Copies of the report were also sent to the concerned medical college and the Ministry of Health. The report prepared after three months of investigation has pointed out negligence on the part of the hospital as the reason for death. While it has further cautioned the hospital against such negligence in the days to come, it has also recommended compensation to the victim’s family as per the law.

College Public Contact Officer and Information Officer Sushil Gurung rued the unfortunate death of a student and vowed to move ahead by studying the probe panel’s report.

Sah was studying at the college and lived in the college hostel.