Another day, another Gorakhpur: Two die in Tamil Nadu due to absence of duty doctor

Just days after Uttar Pradesh shocker, Ambur GH sees two deaths due to absence of duty doctor at emergency unit.
Vaishnavi, a 13-year-old patient, being rushed out of the Government Ambur Hospital on Sunday
Vaishnavi, a 13-year-old patient, being rushed out of the Government Ambur Hospital on Sunday

VELLORE: In separate incidents, two patients, who were not provided with emergency medical care on time, died at Government Ambur Hospital on Sunday.  

In the first incident, a 70-year-old man, injured in a road accident, was brought to the emergency ward of the hospital around 1.05 pm, but was not attended by any doctor even after 30 minutes. The man succumbed around 2.30 pm.

According to sources, the deceased Santhanam (70), from T Nagar in Chennai, was going to Bengaluru in a car driven by his friend Rajkumar. On Sunday 12.30 pm, when they were passing the Pachakuppam village near Ambur on Chennai-Bengaluru bypass, a truck moving ahead of them took a sudden turn. To avoid hitting the truck, Rajkumar applied sudden break, but lost control of the vehicle and rammed it on the median. In the impact, Santhanam sustained severe head injuries.

Passersby immediately rushed Santhanam to Government Ambur Hospital. Even though the victim was brought to the emergency care unit at 1.05 pm, he was not given any treatment by the hospital staff.

Meanwhile, Rajkumar waited outside the emergency unit assuming that his friend was being treated. After about half- an-hour, when he went inside the emergency unit, he found Santhanam fighting for life, with no medical staff near him.

Fury over this, Rajkumar picked up a quarrel with the nurses and other hospital staff, who told him that there was no doctor available at the hospital. Meanwhile, around 2.15 pm, Santhanam succumbed to injuries.

In the second incident, a 13-year-old girl, R Vaishnavi of Rallakothur village, was brought to the hospital around 1.45 pm Sunday after she had breathing troubles. The girl was also not given any medical treatment for about 30 minutes and was made to sit on the hospital varandah.

Later, around 2.20 pm, a doctor came and examined Vaishnavi and declared her dead. Even though her parents argued with the doctor, they were asked to take the girl’s body out of the hospital. The helpless parents took her body on a two wheelr to their native village, located around 13 km from Ambur.

Meanwhile, activists of Hindu Makkal Katchi laid siege to the hospital to protest against the hospital authorities.

Upon receiving the information, Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services (in-charge)-Vellore, A Shanthi, inspected the hospital in the evening.

“The sanctioned strength of doctors in the hospital is seven, but only four doctors are working now. We will redirect two or three doctors to this hospital immediately,” Shanti told Express.

“Usually, two doctors are on duty till 1.30 pm on Sundays and one duty doctor thereafter. Today one of the duty doctors left the hospital early. Action will be taken against him after getting the inquiry report,” she added. However, on the girl’s death, Shanthi said there was no lapse from the hospital’s part as the girl was brought dead. “She was a heart patient and her parents were already advised to take her to government medical college. But they didn’t do it,” she added.

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The New Indian Express
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