KOCHI: Every crisis has its heroes and the doctors and nurses of government hospitals in Kerala have won accolades for their selflessness and sacrifice in the fight against Covid-19.
However, recent revelations of medical negligence that led to the deaths of some patients have brought disgrace to the state’s famed Covid warriors.
What has gone wrong in Kerala’s guard against the pandemic? Allegations, suspensions and strikes have brought disrepute to the health workers.
“The reports of negligence at Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam medical college hospitals are disheartening. There is no point in blaming. The doctors and nurses are working under tremendous stress as they are fighting a new virus which is constantly mutating. The second wave of Covid is even more dangerous and the health workers may be afraid of attending to the patients. There may be political reasons also,” said epidemiologist Dr A Sukumaran
Though it is the Ernakulam MCH incident, where three patients died allegedly due to medical negligence, that triggered the controversy, the incidents at Thiruvananthapuram MCH where the doctors and nurses launched a strike has brought the issues plaguing the health department to fore.
On June 10, two patients were found dead in the Covid-19 isolation ward of the Thiruvananthapuram MCH. It is said both patients had taken the extreme step due to depression. A Kollam native ended his life in the Covid ward on July 18.
The Thiruvananthapuram MCH again grabbed headlines as breakfast was served to Covid patients next to the body of a patient who died at 5am on August 25.
The body was removed only five hours after the death.On September 27, a patient discharged from the hospital was found infested with maggots following which the nodal officer and two head nurses were suspended from service.
The government had to withdraw the suspension orders as the doctors and nurses launched a strike. Then, a 72-year-old woman undergoing treatment at the Covid-19 ward ended her life on October 1.
The hospital again came under the scanner as an unidentified body was handed over to the relatives of a native of Venniyoor who died of Covid-19 on October 2. By the time the lapse was noticed, the family had cremated the body. As an immediate action, eight temporary staff were dismissed.
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“The reason for the lapses may be staff shortage and shortage of funds. A bill should be issued to all patients to convey the treatment provided and the amount spent by the government for them. The staff shortage needs to be addressed immediately. At the moment, barely five nurses tend to a ward with 100 patients for hours,” said a senior doctor at Thiruvananthapuram MCH.
Padmanabha, 47, a schoolteacher deployed by the government on Covid duty, died of the disease at Govinda Pai Memorial College at Manjeshwar on October 10.
According to his nephew, Padmanabha had severe diarrhoea and breathing difficulties. But the health officials turned down his pleas to shift him to a hospital.Things were smooth at Kannur Medical College Hospital, Pariyaram, till a few health workers tested positive in the second week of July.
Within a week, around 100 of the health workers in the hospital tested positive and the hospital was declared as a large cluster.
The Government MCH at Parippally in Kollam district was in the news as a man, Noushad, delivered food and clothes to another Covid-19 patient unaware of the death of his father Sulaiman Kunju.
“The district hospital authorities had informed the bystander about the shifting of the patient. As per the report submitted by the superintendent of MCH, Parippally, no person named Noushad came there to provide food or clothes,” said Kollam Deputy DMO Dr R Sandhya.
Meanwhile, the body of Sulaiman Kunju was tagged ‘unknown’ and kept in the mortuary for five days due to a mistake in the address, she said.
Recent lapses in Covid care
September 27: A 55-year-old patient discharged from Thiruvananthapuram MCH found infested with maggots .
October 10: Padmanabha, a schoolteacher on Covid duty, died at the FLTC at Govinda Pai Memorial College in Manjeshwar as health workers refused to shift him to a hospital.
October 13: Unaware of his father’s death, man delivers food and clothes to another patient at Kollam MCH, Paripally. Sulaiman Kunju, 85, was admitted to Thiruvananthapuram MCH but the health department informed his relatives that he was at Parippally MCH.
October 18: In a voice message, a nursing officer at Ernakulam MCH said several Covid patients have died at the hospital due to medical negligence. As per reports, three patients -- C K Harris, Baihaki and Jameela -- died at the hospital due to negligence in the recent days.
Complaints galore, not many approach police
KOCHI: Though authorities of Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, have come out dismissing the allegations of ‘medical negligence’ behind the death of Fort Kochi native C K Harris, who was admitted to the hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, on July 20, complaints are pouring in against the MCH.
In the latest in the series, the relatives of Jameela and Baihakki, natives of Aluva, have levelled serious allegations of negligence, while the patients were admitted to ICU following Covid-19.
However, no formal complaints have been lodged before the police so far.
Kalamassery police officers said that nobody came up with complaints on Wednesday.
Earlier, Jerin Michael, 25, of Kailas Colony, Kalamassery, was brought to the Ernakulam Government Medical College on March 25, 2017, with acute stomach pain and hours after, he breathed his last.
The Kalamassery police had registered a case and the investigation has not reached anywhere.
Though a crime branch inquiry was launched into the death but a final report is yet to be filed in the death of Shamna Thasneem, an MBBS student of the college, after being administered an injection for fever at the hospital in 2016.
SHRC asks health secretary to hold detailed probe
KOCHI: Taking cognisance of the complaint submitted by social activist Noushad Thekkeyil, the State Human Rights Commission on Wednesday sought the health secretary’s intervention and a detailed investigation into the allegations of medical negligence leading to the deaths of Covid patients at the Ernakulam Government MCH.
“The health secretary should undertake a comprehensive investigation with regard to the allegations of medical negligence resulting in the deaths and deficiencies in care provided by the staff,” the commission directed.
Pointing out that the allegations made against the hospital authorities are serious in nature, Justice Antony Dominic, chief of the State Human Rights Commission, also directed the principal of Ernakulam Medical College and the health secretary to submit detailed reports within three weeks.
The commission will consider the case again on November 21.