THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has given directions to doctors to rely on biopsy report from government laboratories only before proceeding with chemotherapy. This was announced by Health Minister K K Shailaja in the assembly on Thursday on the sidelines of the incident in which a 38-year-old woman had to undergo chemotherapy at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital after being wrongly diagnosed with breast cancer.
“The government will take care of her treatment. The doctor who conducted the chemotherapy was suspended earlier,” she said.
The Chief Secretary has sought a report from the Kottayam district Collector on the incident. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the assembly that the government would take further action based on the report. The CM said the doctors concerned showed undue haste to start chemotherapy.
Terming it an unfortunate incident, Pinarayi said the doctors should not have started treatment on the basis of outside reports. They could have waited for the test report from the hospital’s facility, he said. “I’d met the woman. Her future is in limbo,” he said.
Cath lab
In reply to a question, Shailaja said providing Cath lab to lower-rung government hospitals was not feasible. The new comprehensive trauma care system will be of immense help to cardiac patients. CPR training will be conducted on a large scale.
Rabies cases
Nine persons died of rabies in the state last year. Five persons died until June 7 this year. 325 new TB cases have been diagnosed, she informed the House.