KARACHI, Dec 31: The Medical Superintendent of the Spencer’s Eye Hospital Karachi, Dr Qazi Mohammad Wasiq, has clarified that the record of Dost Mohammad, a patient who died during an operation, was very much available at the prestigious hospital.

Contradicting some allegations in a report appearing in a section of press on Tuesday, the MS explained that the patient was admitted to the hospital on Dec 19, 2002 as per the admission No. 2677 after a routine medical investigation and that his operation was scheduled for Dec 20.

Dr Wasiq stated that the patient was administered a routine preparatory injection at the operation theatre before being operated upon. However, he said, the patient complained of chest pain and breathlessness which was promptly taken care of by the concerned anaesthesia doctor.

Despite all the emergency efforts, the MS said, the patient could not survive due to cardiac arrest.

He further explained that the body was handed over to the Edhi Trust as there was no relative of the deceased available at the hospital. He said that Edhi Trust was conveyed a request that his relatives be located with the help of his NIC.

The MS claimed that messages were also sent to the patient’s address in Tando Mohammad Khan but notables of the town failed to locate his relatives. Eventually, he added, Edhi Trust buried Dost Mohammad’s body as per the routine process.

The MS stated that he had constituted an inquiry committee, comprising ward in-charge and the anaesthesiast, which submitted its detailed report on Tuesday. The report would be handed over to the higher authorities, he added.—APP