THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Venu, a 48-year-old autorickshaw driver from Panmana in Kollam, died of heart failure on Wednesday night, just hours after voicing serious allegations against the staff at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram.
He had been admitted there for emergency cardiac care after being referred from the Taluk Hospital in Kollam the previous Friday.
In an audio message sent to his friends before his death, Venu expressed deep anxiety over the lack of medical attention he received during his five-day stay. He claimed that if anything were to happen to him, the hospital staff should be held accountable.
“No one responds to our questions. The staff in uniform don’t even look at you. Corruption is everywhere,” he alleged in the recording, urging his friends to share his experience with the world if he didn’t survive.
Venu also voiced concern about the financial burden of staying in Thiruvananthapuram with a bystander, adding to his distress.
In response, the medical college authorities denied any lapse in care. They stated that by the time Venu was brought in, the critical window for angioplasty had already passed.
Initially, his condition was stable, but it suddenly worsened, leading to heart failure. The hospital maintained that all possible treatments were administered.
Venu’s family has announced plans to file a formal complaint with the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan condemned the incident, calling Venu a casualty of a crumbling public health system.
“Venu didn’t just die—he was failed by a health department that has been systematically neglected for nearly a decade. The Health Minister and the government must take responsibility for this tragedy,” Satheesan said.
He added that Venu’s voice message continues to resonate as a powerful indictment of the system.
“Even in death, Venu speaks for countless ordinary citizens who face indifference and despair in government hospitals. His words reflect the pain and helplessness of many who are left unheard,” he said.