KOCHI: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has asked the Ernakulam district police chief to initiate steps for releasing the body of man who died at a private hospital in the city allegedly due to medical negligence. The Commission has also issued a notice to the hospital.
Detention of body on the ground that bill is not settled is enough to initiate action against the hospital, KSHRC acting chairperson P Mohana Das said in the order. While considering a similar case the other day, the KSHRC had made it clear detaining body was nothing but showing disrespect to it.
The commission passed the order based on a complaint filed by Antony John, the brother of the deceased. Sibi John of Kalakode in Alappuzha, who had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for the past one month died on Thursday. The commission observed Sibi John died of medical negligence. However, the hospital management refused to release the body as the family owed Rs 2.5 lakh in treatment costs.
While under treatment, the hospital authorities had suggested a liver transplantation surgery for Sibi, which costs Rs 30 lakh. Though the relatives wanted to take Sibi to another hospital for treatment, the hospital management allegedly refused the request for discharge. His family had paid around Rs 2 lakh during the one-month treatment period.