The death of Rangi, 50, a tribal woman in Attappadi, owing to lack of prompt medical care on Sunday rocked the Assembly with the Opposition accusing the UDF Government of trivialising the incident and terming Health Minister V S Sivakumar’s stand ‘irresponsible.’
On Monday morning, the Opposition staged a walkout after the Speaker denied an adjournment motion on the issue. Sivakumar blamed the doctors of the Tribal Speciality Hospital, Kottathara, for gross negligence and said stern action would be taken against them. A report has been sought from the Health Director and explanations from the doctors who were not on duty at the hospital, he said.
Of the four doctors there, one was away on training and the other three were not on duty, the Minister said. “The government views the issue very seriously. There has been gross negligence on the part of the doctors,” he said.
Rangi, wife of Maruthan of Ummathampadi Ooru in Puthur panchayat, was rushed to the Puthur Primary Health Centre after she complained of chest pain on Sunday morning. The only doctor there was not on duty as it was his weekly off.
The woman was then taken to the Tribal Speciality Hospital at Kottathara, but had to be rushed to a private hospital. But she died on the way.
K V Vijayadas of the CPM, who moved the adjournment motion, said that the staff at the Kottathara hospital behaved rudely to Rangi’s husband and friends who accompanied her. Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan said the Minister’s reply was not satisfactory, announcing the walk-out.