The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the government of Uttar Pradesh and the Minister of Health and Family Welfare over the incident of a patient’s amputated leg being used as a pillow in a Jhansi hospital. The incident had occurred at Maharani Laxmibai Medical College and Hospital in Jhansi.
Taking cognisance of the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announced a probe even as he announced a compensation of Rs 2,00,000 for the patient whose amputated leg was used as a pillow. Two doctors were also suspended by the administration.
The hospital administration had vowed strict action against the culprits. "We have set up a four-member committee to find out who put the severed leg under the patient`s head...Strict action will be taken if our staff is found at fault," Sadhna Kaushik, principal of the Maharani Laxmibai Medical College and Hospital, had said.
The doctors at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College had allegedly put the amputated leg under the victim's head in order to help him.
The shocking incident came to light after a local TV channel aired visuals of the victim's amputated leg being used as a pillow as he lay on a stretcher inside the casualty ward of the hospital.
The man, who was a cleaner in a school bus, had sustained serious injuries when the bus carrying children of a private school turned turtle in a bid to avoid a collision with a tractor in Mauranipur area in Jhansi district on Saturday.
The cleaner was immediately rushed to the Jhansi medical college hospital where the doctors amputated his leg to prevent the infection from spreading, reports said.
The relatives of the man, who was identified as 28-year-old Ghanshyam, later told reporters that the hospital staff ignored their requests that he be given a pillow. "When we reached the hospital, we saw his leg being used as a headrest," Janaki Prasad, a relative, said.
"I repeatedly asked the doctors to intervene but they refused," Prasad added, saying Ghanshyam`s relatives eventually bought a pillow from a local market.
