CHENNAI: A 27-year-old accident victim has claimed that the Chromepet Government Hospital had denied him treatment for not being able to produce a copy of the FIR to the hospital staff “My arm and leg were broken and my nose was bleeding. They refused to provide treatment without the FIR and so I was forced to turn to a private hospital nearby,” he said.
A construction worker, Kumaravel S, was on his way to the construction site at Anakaputhur from Kundrathur on January 31 when his bike collided with a lorry.
“I was lying on the road for half an hour in a pool of blood. No one came to help me,” he said.
Coincidentally, his friend Karthik, who happened to pass through the route, saw him lying on the road and immediately called for the 108 ambulance service and took him to the Chromepet Government Hospital, he added.
“They cleaned the wound and took an x-ray. A few minutes later, they told me they required a FIR for further treatment despite my repeated attempts to point out that the FIR was not needed in the case of an accident,” he said.
Following this, Kumaravel said he approached a private hospital in the vicinity for treatment.
His mother S Manjula (43) told Express, “I am a maid in a temple. My husband is no more. I have two children. I was looking for a bride for my son. Until now I have spent around `2 lakh for my son’s treatment. All my savings are gone. If the government hospital had treated my son, why would I need to go to a private hospital ?”
When Express contacted the Chromepet Government Hospital, a senior doctor said, “We administered first aid to the patient concerned. For further treatment, we referred him to the RGGH.”
Although denying the patient’s allegation that hospital staff insisted on a FIR copy, the doctor added that an inquiry would be ordered into the allegation and necessary action would be initiated if necessary.
VS Suresh Souli, an advocate, who has specialised in Motor Vehicle Acts, told Express, “As Per Motor Vehicle Act 1988 section 134, unless it is practicable to do so on account of mob fury or any other reason beyond his control, take all reasonable steps to secure medical attention for the injured person, by conveying him to the nearest medical practitioner or hospital, and it shall be the duty of every registered medical practitioner or the doctor on the duty in the hospital immediately to attend to the injured person and render medical aid or treatment without waiting for any procedural formalities.”
Expressing his shock he said, “It is against the law to ask an accident victim for a copy of FIR. When the victim is severely injured, how can he get the copy?”