‘Poorly preserved platelets’: Prayagraj DM dismisses claim that patient was put on lime juice drip
Family members of a dengue patient had made the allegations after he died last week.
Prayagraj District Magistrate Sanjay Khatri on Wednesday dismissed claims that a dengue patient was put on a drip of sweet lime juice instead of platelets, reported NDTV.
“We had formed a three-member team to probe the incident,” Khatri said. “Their report found that the patient had been given poorly preserved platelets. We are taking action based on this information.”
The dengue patient, identified as Pradeep Pandey, had died on October 19, following which his family alleged that he had been put on a drip of sweet lime juice. Two days later, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak ordered that the medical facility, the Global Hospital, be sealed.
Pandey’s relatives had alleged that the fruit extract was given to them in a bag marked as plasma. Saurabh Mishra, the owner of the hospital, however, claimed that the attendants of the patients had themselves brought the fake platelets.
On October 21, the Uttar Pradesh Police had arrested 10 members of a gang which allegedly sold fake blood platelets in Prayagraj. According to the police, the gang duped patients by selling plasma as blood platelets. While both plasma and platelets are components of blood, they are used for different treatment purposes.
Earlier this week, the Prayagraj Development Authority also issued a demolition notice to the hospital, claiming that the building had been illegally constructed and directed the authorities of the medical facility to vacate the structure by October 28.
In the past year, municipal authorities in many states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party have resorted to demolishing properties of persons accused of crimes.
Legal experts and human rights activists have frequently expressed concern about the usage of demolition as a punitive measure. Municipal authorities, meanwhile, have generally claimed that the demolitions were carried out solely due to alleged violations of construction norms.