India, July 21 -- Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh directed officials on Monday to constitute a committee to investigate the death of a patient at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital after a ceiling fan allegedly fell on him. The minister said strict departmental action would be taken if negligence is found. The direction came a day after a 42-year-old patient died around three hours after a ceiling fan allegedly fell on him inside the hospital's emergency ward, prompting his family to demand an enquiry into the incident. During a high-level review meeting with senior Health Department officials, the minister learned that a committee headed by the Special Secretary (Health) had been constituted to investigate the incident and was asked to submit its report within three days. According to the Health Department, appropriate and strict departmental action will be taken based on the committee's findings, reiterating that negligence in healthcare services will not be tolerated. Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh reviewed monsoon preparedness, directing hospitals to ensure adequate medicines, diagnostics, staffing and readiness for seasonal diseases, while the hospital said the patient's death was unrelated.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.