KATHMANDU, Feb 13: Authorities at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) said a probe has been ordered into the case of the phone not responding, as charged by a senior faculty member of the hospital.
Dr Kabir Nath Yogi, personal physician to the late Sushil Koirala, said on Thursday that he made 13 attempts to call the hospital ambulance to take the former prime minister to hospital but the phone did not respond. "I tried calling 13 times but there was no response. I also called former president Rambaran Yadav three times for his suggestions but his phone also did not respond," Dr Yogi claimed at a press meet on Thursday. "I feel guilty as he [Koirala] died before we could take him to hospital."
The TUTH administration has said that it is taking the matter seriously. "We hare taking the allegation seriously. I have directed the deputy director to start a probe into the lack of response to Dr Yogi's call attempts," said Dr Deepak Mahara, director at TUTH. He said the hospital will take appropriate action if the allegation is proved. He also conceded that about 50 percent of the hospital's phones do not work.
However, he questioned Dr Yogi's allegation. "Why did he not call me? He could have called me, the hospital's duty officer or the driver directly," said Dr Mahara, adding that as a faculty member of TUTH, Dr Yogi knows whom to call in an emergency situation.
He also questioned why Dr Yogi did not call some other hospital for an ambulance and instead called the former president. "There are several hospitals nearby, like Sahid Gangalal National Heart Center, Neuro Hospital, the police hospital and several private hospitals. Why did he not call any of those hospitals for an ambulance," Dr Mahara asked.
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