Family alleges negligence by Mediciti Hospital following renal patient's death

Kathmandu, November 21 — Saroj Subba Limbu, a 38-year-old resident of Ilam, passed away on November 16 at Nepal Mediciti Hospital in Bhainsepati, Lalitpur, following a kidney transplant.

Saroj's relatives have accused the hospital of gross negligence, stating that his death occurred during a routine post-transplant checkup.

According to his family member Kumar Limbu, Saroj underwent a kidney transplant at Mediciti Hospital on September 22. He stayed in the hospital for a week after the surgery and was discharged to recover at home.

While on regular follow-up visits, the hospital said that Saroj's kidney had developed an infection. However, his relatives have refused to accept his body, expressing dissatisfaction with the hospital's explanation for his death.

Kumar said, "The kidney transplant was done on the advice of the doctors here. When complications arose a week after the surgery, we brought him back for follow-ups. Why weren’t we informed earlier about any serious problems?"

Kumar claimed that after being discharged, Saroj began experiencing severe issues, including blood in his urine, swelling in his eyes, and inability to walk. On November 6, the hospital removed the transplanted kidney, citing complications. Kumar questioned, "How could the hospital remove the transplanted kidney so easily? Why was it removed in the first place?"

The hospital, however, has denied any negligence. Mediciti's Medical Superintendent, Dr. Raj Rana, stated that there is no truth to the allegations made by Saroj’s relatives.

"We successfully performed the transplant and discharged the patient. However, complications later developed in the tube connected to the kidney, and the infection spread throughout the body, making further treatment impossible," he explained. "Removing the kidney was a necessary medical procedure. The family’s consent was obtained at every step, so the hospital cannot be blamed."