Media Release

Udupi, Aug 24: Gangadhar Acharya was admitted to T M A Pai Hospital on July 30. He was suffering from COVID-19 pneumonia with severe hypoxia (low oxygen in the blood). He had occupational lung disease (since he worked as a blacksmith) and subsequently continued to develop severe breathlessness. The hospital then treated him with Remdesivir injection (supplied free by the DHO) and managed using ventilator support (from August 02 onwards; intubated on 09 August), along with other necessary treatment too. During his stay, the clinical team treating Acharya counselled his son and nephew of the patient on multiple occasions. As Acharya was admitted under Ayushman Bharath Scheme (AB-ArK), there was no bill presented to the patient relatives, any payment was neither requested nor accepted. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts by the hospital, he succumbed to severe COVID-19 pneumonia with ARDS and sepsis on August 23, a press release by the hospital stated.

As the death took place at 4.43 am, and it takes 5-6 hours for the handover to relatives, the hospital shifted the body with all due processes (including identification tags on the body bag) to the mortuary of District Hospital Udupi (DHU), to avoid bloating. Many family members of the patient, along with the son, gave factually incorrect and irresponsible statements against the doctors and the hospital who treated their father. The hospital could not have sent a different body as there was no other death recorded since August 5, said the press release.

Many media and social media outlets have broadcast recordings of such emotional outbursts, without verifying the details from the hospital. As a result, hundreds of negative comments were posted on Facebook and other social media channels, defaming KMC hospital and the honest services of hundreds of committed employees, the press statement added.

"The hospital has been working sincerely as a dedicated COVID-19 hospital and providing medical care to COVID-19 patients with utmost risk to each and every healthcare worker, and their family members, in our hospital. We appeal to the media to issue appropriate corrective statements," the release further said.