Sushruta Trauma Centre has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately and faces closure

Youth loses legs due to 'hospital's negligence'

Sushruta Trauma Centre has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately and faces closure

He will never walk again. 24-year-old Varmeet Singh may have suffered grievous injuries to his legs while getting off a train on Sunday, but his relatives feel he lost his limbs due to the negligence of authorities at the Sushruta Trauma Centre in the Capital, who left him to bleed for six hours.

Irreparable damage:u00a0Varmeet has lost both his legs.Pics/ mid day

This not the first such case at this medical centre either. Varmeet lost his balance and fell on the rail track where his legs came under the train's wheels. Somehow he managed to call his family and within 30 minutes his relatives had reached the spot. But sadly, the CATS ambulance that had been called for did not reach on time.
"While leaving from home, we immediately called the CATS ambulance in order to avoid any delay in treatment. But the ambulance reached the spot after an hour. We kept waiting for them," said Gurpreet Singh, the victim's brother-in law.

Varmeet was already bleeding before reaching the hospital. According to his family members, there were no senior doctors at the medical centre when they reached.

"As soon as we reached the hospital, we asked all the doctors to look after him. But there were only junior doctors present. There was no specialist to look after our boy," added Gurpreet.

"The doctors kept saying that a special team was coming and wasted a lot time in admitting him. There was no blood in the blood bank of the hospital. The machine was also not working there," said Manmeet, Varmeet's sister.

According to the family, the hospital authorities did not take any action for around six hours. They were not even prepared to admit the patient to ICU, saying there were no beds available.

In the end, Varmeet lost his legs. He was the only source of income for his family. His parents are still in shock and are not talking to anybody. "Only day before yesterday we were talking about his marriage. It's so sad for us now. His life will be changed forever," said Gurpreet.

6 hours
The amount of time the victim was allegedly made to wait

Sutting down

Located on Outer Ring Road near Kashmere Gate Inter-State Bus Terminal - the only Delhi government trauma care hospital - might be converted into a maternity and child care centre, if the health department has its way.
"Though we haven't taken a decision yet, talks are on to convert it into a mother and child care hospital as we are in need of one. In most government hospitals, maternity patients have to resort to twin sharing due to paucity of beds," said Kiran Walia, Delhi health minister. Ever since STC came up, it has been reeling under severe shortage of neurosurgeons and anaesthetists. All efforts by Delhi government to fill vacancies and improve infrastructure have failed. Sources say it is because of poor administration.

The Other Side

We took all the necessary actions that were required. He was badly injured and nobody could have saved his legs. And we gave him the right treatment. That is why he is still alive.u00a0 - Dr Ajay Gupta, Medical Superintendent, Sushruta Trauma Centre

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