THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Adding to ongoing concerns over the state’s health sector, relatives of a few deceased patients at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College have alleged that the recent fire outbreak there caused the deaths of their loved ones. As many as five patients who were under treatment in the hospital after different accidents died on different days following the fire incident.
Neyyattinkara native Saneesh, Ayoor native Krishnankutty, auto driver Abdul Rahim, Chirayinkeezhu native Omana Amma, and Balaramapuram native Sreedharan are the people who passed away after the outbreak on Tuesday morning.
While hospital authorities refuted any treatment lapse in the issue, Opposition leader VD Satheesan urged that an immediate investigation must be initiated over these allegations.
"(Saneesh) was fast recovering from the injuries, and even consumed fluid food on the day before the accident. When the fire broke out, he was not seen to be shifted immediately, and they informed us on the next day that his condition turned critical," Saneesh's relative was seen taking to the media. Relatives of Krishnankutty also remarked that he was under treatment with life-saving equipment, the removal of which during the shifting could have led to death. While Krishnankutty died on the day of the outbreak itself, Saneesh passed away on Wednesday.
However, the hospital authorities refuted these allegations and commented that no formal complaint had been received by the authorities till Saturday afternoon. "Doctors who treated these patients have clarified that neither the fire accident nor its side effects have led to these deaths," officials informed. The hospital authorities also remarked that the moves to link the death of the patients with the fire accident were 'unfortunate'. "Had there been any lapses like in the allegations, it would have been indicated in the postmortem report. No such mention was seen likewise. If we receive any complaint, we will legally inspect this," officials remarked.
Slamming the authorities, Opposition leader VD Satheesan said that the incident was 'shocking' and another example of his comment 'state's healthcare system in ventilator'.
The incident took place on Tuesday morning, when a major fire broke out in the surgical ICU of the super speciality block in the hospital. The five people who died after the incident were admitted with severe injuries following different accidents. Hospital authorities informed that since the patients were shifted to another ICU, there are no chances for such a lapse.