A doctor running a COVID hospital during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in Sangli in Maharashtra state was arrested on Friday. The police officials from the Mahatma Gandhi police station have arrested the doctor under charges of culpable homicide and overcharging COVID-19 patients. An investigation revealed that the Apex Care Hospital did not have enough doctors, equipment, and other facilities to treat COVID patients.

On Saturday, a magistrate court remanded Dr. Mahesh Jadhav, aged 36 years, to police custody for a period of seven days. The officials stated that on 14th April, Jadhav was given permission by the local municipal commissioner to treat COVID patients. Jadhav had said that he holds MBBS, MS (Plastic Surgeon), and MCH degrees. After receiving several complaints, municipal health officials directed by health officer Dr. Sunil Ambole conducted an inspection in his hospital and discovered that patients were overcharged without providing any treatment.

The requisites and guidelines laid down by the Directorate of Medical Education and Directorate of Health services were not followed by the hospital. Ambole then lodged an FIR with the local police on 27th May, and on 29th May, after conducting a panchnama, the police found that three doctors were appointed by the hospital but none were on full-time duty.

Shashikant Chavan, senior inspector, said that over a period of 43 days, 207 patients got admitted to the Apex Care hospital, and out of them 87 patients died. The hospital did not have even basic equipment such as defibrillators, X-rays, ECG machines, or suction machines. Only one ventilator and 10 BiPAP machines were available. The police have added sections of culpable homicide to the existing charge.

One more police officer mentioned that last year, homoeopathic students were working as Resident Medical Officers and were treating COVID patients after being instructed by these doctors and Jadhav on the phone. They were writing death details too after a patient died. Earlier, five staffers of the same hospital were arrested.

Source: The Indian Express