Jus Banerjee says MoM employees trying to tarnish hospital's image

Kolkata, Aug 22 (UNI) A former Calcutta High Court jugde today gave a clean chit to the Mission of Mercy(MoM) Hospital over the alleged death of Patrick Cranston following negligence of the hospital staff.

Justice Bhagabati Prasad Banerjee, who headed a one-man commission, constituted by the West Bengal family and welfare department and the Indian Medical Association, said the patient did not die of any any medical negligence.

Patrick had died on April 21 after the hospital allegedly issued a memo stating stoppage of treatment.

The hospital authorities denied this saying that some disgruntled employees had tried to malign the hospital's image for their own vested interests.

Talking to mediapesons here MoM executive director Sanjay Prasad said an internal probe had been institited to unearth the truth behind such an act.

Accusing Dr Vineet Mittal and Dr Samrat Basu for defaming the 30-year-old missionary hospital, Mr Prasad said steps would soon be taken to punish the culprits.

Meanwhile, three months have passed but the two doctors were still working with the hospital.

He also clarified that there was a confusion regarding the memo, that had a clerical error, and categorically pointed out that the patient had never remained unattended.

In yet another incident a HIV positive patient, who was denied admission initially to the MoM, was later allowed treatment after the media reported against the hospital. The patient, however, died today.

The MoM, which was founded in 1977 by an American missionary Mark Buntain, gets huge foreign grants every year, besides an internal fund of Rs 13 crore raised by the hospital.

The hospital is facing a fund crunch after there were reports in the media regarding the 'inhuman treatment' meted out to the patients.

UNI