Insight Bureau: Family of a dead patient has brought up allegations of medical negligence and mental torture against Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital, Bhubaneswar. A video of the young girl Arpita Mahakul went viral yesterday after she narrated her plight in Facebook LIVE.

Aripita and her family members were seen crying bitterly in the video. She has alleged that her father died 3 days ago, but the hospital authorities hid the truth. “They played hide and seek game for us to extort us and then revealed now that he died. They are now not releasing the body saying he had turned Covid Positive. When we came to hospital, we had the Covid Negative report. How, he tested positive here? We demand immediate Covid Test now to find the truth,” said the man’s daughter.

However, the Hi-Tech Hospital has rubbished the allegations and said that there is an attempt by the family to malign the hospital. The hospital authorities have clarified that the patient was brought to Hi-Tech on ventilator support in a critical condition and he tested positive for Covid-19.

“For the last 3 days, the family was counselled on patient’s condition. The patient had a cardiac arrest and was revived the doctors too. The patient was suffering from various other serious ailments and passed away yesterday. The family were outraged and wanted to take the body home. However, since the patient was Covid positive, we followed the protocol and informed the BMC. After the family signed the consent form, the dead body was handed over to BMC today. We did not charge any extra money and even released the body even if some amount were not paid. Hi-Tech Hospital stands with poor and middle class families and there is no question of any harassment,” clarified the hospital authorities.