Patna Medical College and Hospital Super suspended, action against seven as stampede fallout

PATNA: Bihar government today suspended the hospital superintendent of the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and took actions against seven other doctors for allegedly remaining unavailable when stampede victims were brought there on October 3.

PMCH Superintendent Lakhinder Prasad was suspended and its Principal S N Sinha was given his duty as additional charge, Health Secretary Anand Kishore said. Four doctors of Assistant Professor rank of Surgery, Urology and Orthopadecics were transferred outside Patna, Kishore said. Besides, the Heads of Department of Orthopadics, Surgery and Urology were served show cause notice, he said.

The suspension and other actions have been taken after approval of Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and Health Minister Ramdhani Singh, he said. Kishore said departmental inquiry would be carried against the doctors of the hospital.

Manjhi during a surprise visit to the PMCH on Sunday evening to meet the Dussehra stampede victims had found the doctors unavailable in the Emergency Ward which also wore a filthy look. Besides, several medicines were said to be unavailable.

When Manjhi had sought to meet the Hospital Superintendent Lakhinder Prasad, he was not around.

Altogether, 33 people were killed and 29 injured in a stampede outside the Gandhi Maidan after Dussehra festival on October 3.