ALAPPUZHA: Health Minister Veena George has ordered a departmental inquiry into the allegations that the death of two COVID patients, who were admitted to the COVID ward of Alappuzha Medical College Hospital (MCH), was informed to the family members only after a few days.
The minister on Sunday directed the medical education director to conduct a probe and immediately submit a report. "Stringent action will be taken against the culprits," the minister said in a press release.
Devadas (58) of Valuvilayil, Kollam and Thankappan (55) of Peringamala, Chengannur died of COVID at the medical college hospital last week. But their relatives came to know about the death only after a few days.
According to relatives, Devadas was admitted to the MCH on July 23 with chest pain. He later tested positive for COVID and was shifted to the COVID ICU on August 9. He died on August 12. His wife was also undergoing treatment for COVID at the hospital when he died, but she was not informed about it.
Though the family members tried to reach the medical staff at the ICU over phone to know about his condition, it turned futile. With no information about Devadas' health for two days, his daughter and a relative went to the hospital on August 14. She later identified her father's body at the hospital mortuary.
Meanwhile, another incident came to light on Sunday, when the relatives of Thankappan, who died at the MCH last week, alleged that they came to know about his death only after four days. His wife and son were at the COVID ward after they turned positive, but nobody informed them about his death.
Meanwhile, the MCH authorities said they tried to contact the relatives over phone, but nobody attended the call. Later, the hospital authorities informed the police outpost functioning in the compound of MCH about the death of the patients and shifted the bodies to the mortuary.