KALABURAGI, 14 MARCH

Two patients reportedly lost their lives due to a lack of timely medical treatment at the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) hospital late Thursday night, igniting outrage among their families, who have accused the hospital staff of negligence.

The deceased have been identified as 65-year-old Sharadabai from Bharat Nagar Tanda and 50-year-old Dasharath Rathod from Udanur Tanda, as confirmed by their relatives.

"My mother was suffering from severe vomiting and diarrhoea, so we admitted her to GIMS on Wednesday. As instructed by the nurses, we submitted blood tests and other medical reports by 4 PM, but the doctors ignored them. Instead, we were told to wait, while they were on their mobile phones instead of attending to patients," alleged her daughter, Savita. "Even on Thursday, despite her condition worsening, no doctor came to examine her. By the evening, she passed away. Shortly after, another patient also died," she added.

Another relative, Mahantesh, talking on his brother Dasharath said, "Although the hospital acknowledged the severity of his condition, his breathing difficulties worsened, and despite repeated requests for assistance, the nurses refused to help, citing a lack of gloves”.

District surgeon Dr Asna Baig stated that the two patients had pre-existing health issues and that critical treatment had not been administered. "One was a TB patient who had not received correct treatment for two years, and the respiratory infection had escalated," she explained.