Kurnool: Goof up by Government General Hospital staff triggers protests

Kurnool: Swapping of the body of a man who died of Covid-19 with that of a non-Covid patient by Kurnool Govt General Hospital (KGGH) staff led to protests by the family of non-Covid patient on Teusday.

The incident came to light on Tuesday when the relatives of A Rambabu (66), a resident of Budhavarapeta, came to the hospital to collect his body. To their shock, they found that the body handed over to them was not that of Rambabu.

The family received another shock to learn that the hospital staff performed the last rites body of Rambabu, mistaking it for one Rambhupal Reddy, 36, of S Nagappa street in Old Town in the city, who had died of Covid-19 at the same hospital.

Rambabu's family members staged a protest at the hospital, demanding that his body be handed over to them. "There is a big difference between Rambabu and Rambhupal Reddy. How can they do such a blunder," asked one of the relatives who staged a sit-in in front of the hospital with an empty coffin.

Rambabu was admitted to the hospital due to ill health on May 7. He died two days later while undergoing treatment. He had tested negative for Covid-19.

Rambhupal Reddy also died of Covid-19 the same day.

Following the protests by the kin of Rambabu, the district collector constituted a three-member committee comprising hospital superintendent, medical college principal and district medical and health officer.

The incident caused huge embarrassment to the authorities at a time when a Central team is visiting Kurnool to assess Covid-19 situation.

Kurnool is the worst affected district in the, accounting for 584 Covid cases out of the state's tally of 2,051 cases. It also registered 16 deaths, the highest in the state.