Medicover presents its version of Secunderabad patient death

Metro India News | Hyderabad

Medicover Hospitals management has responded to the social media coverage surrounding the death of a young patient at its Secunderabad facility, which has been circulating over the past two weeks. Presenting its account of the medical events leading to the patient's death, the management alleged that certain reports had misrepresented the facts and announced its intention to approach the Director General of Police (DGP), Telangana, seeking a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

According to the hospital management, the patient arrived at the hospital with a kidney stone measuring approximately 16 × 17 × 20 mm, which, the management clarified that, was contrary to certain claims circulating on social media that the stone was 1–2 mm in size.  Following the surgery, the patient appeared conscious and stable before being transferred to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU), according to the hospital. However, the following morning, the patient reportedly developed a high fever, reduced urine output, falling blood pressure and jaundice.

The management stated that severe sepsis and a significant fall in the platelet count were followed by a serious intracranial bleed known as subarachnoid haemorrhage. Despite the medical team's efforts, the patient could not be saved.Dr. Anil Krishna, Chairman and Managing Director, Medicover Hospitals; stated that, according to the hospital's assessment, the severe infection and the body's response to it, rather than the kidney stone itself, were the principal factors contributing to the tragic outcome

Clarification on ownership

The management also addressed recent allegations concerning the ownership structure of Medicover Hospitals. According to the management, Sahahrudaya Healthcare Private Limited was established in January 2011.

Medicover AB, a publicly listed company, began investing in the organisation in 2017 and currently holds a 66.1% stake. The management further stated that no new shares had been allotted since 2017. Medicover Hospitals said it was initiating civil and criminal defamation proceedings against those responsible for making what it described as baseless allegations against the organisation.

Reiterating its commitment to providing quality healthcare and prioritising patient safety, the management called upon the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation so that the facts surrounding the incident could be established.