COVID-19 Pune: Pyramid Hospital Chief Dr Sameer S Kulkarni booked for denying treatment to patients
Pune: Pyramid Hospital Chief Dr Sameer S Kulkarni has been booked by Daund city police on charges of denying treatment to Covid-19 patients. The action has been taken after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) workers had protested and complained against Dr Kulkarni to State Health Minister Rajesh Tope recently.
Dr Kulkarni has been charged under sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act and Disaster Management Act along with Indian Penal Code Section 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).
Daund Sub-Divisional Officer Pramod Gaikwad had ordered Daund city police to register a FIR against Pyramid Hospital in connection with complaints from Vaishali Nagawade, Pune District President of Women's wing of Nationalist Congress Party about denial of treatment to three Covid-19 patients. Nagawade had written to Minister Tope and later had filed a written complaint with the Daund Tehsildar in this case.
Nagawade in her complaint has stated that Pyramid hospital allegedly denied treatment to two Covid-19 patients from Daund City and one from Yavat region. Their complaints were received by Pramod Gaikwad, Sub Divisional Officer of Daund and Purandar. On Gaikwad’s order, Daund Sub District Hospital official Dr Sangram Dange had filed a written complaint against the hospital at the Daund police station.
Pyramid hospital is located at the Rajmata Ahilyadevi Sahakar chowk and has been acquired by the local administration for providing treatment to Covid-19 patients. The acquired private hospitals have been enrolled under the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MPJAY) and they have to provide free treatment to Covid-19 patients. The expenses incurred for this treatment are later reimbursed to the hospital by the state government.
However, Dr Kulkarni allegedly refused treatment and did not admit the three Covid-19 patients. NCP Daund city unit president Prashant Dhanwe along with other party workers Vinayak Mane, Suresh Waghmare had protested outside the hospital against the management.
