3 hospital staffers held 2 years after kidney failure incident at Health Plus Hospital, Junagadh

Junagadh: The city police have arrested three individuals in a two-year-old case where six women suffered kidney failure, allegedly due to medical negligence following childbirth at Health Plus Hospital. Two women had died in the incident, while four have remained on dialysis since then.

On Monday, B Division police arrested the three hospital administrators—Salim Musabhai Barejia, Junaidbhai Zakaria Palla, and Suhail Habibbhai Sama. When produced in court on Tuesday, the court sent them to jail.

The case dates back to August 2023, when multiple women admitted to Health Plus Hospital under PMJAY underwent caesarean deliveries. Soon after, six women’s health deteriorated drastically, showing liver inflammation and elevated serum creatinine levels, indicating kidney failure caused by infection. Among them, Hiralben Miyatra from Timbawadi and Harshitaben Balas from Manavadar’s Zinzri village died during treatment in Rajkot.

Following the investigation committee’s report in 2024, B Division police filed charges under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to culpable homicide), and 114 (abetment) against five people, including two doctors and the administrators who have now been arrested. Meanwhile, Dr. Hemakshi Kotadiya has secured anticipatory bail from the High Court, and the investigation against Dr. Diana Ajudiya is ongoing.

The Health Plus Hospital, where these incidents occurred, has since been shut down. A new hospital, Sangani Hospital, has started operating at the same location. DeshGujarat