Denial of wheelchair at CMCH: Dean denies charges claiming incident was staged
COIMBATORE: A day after two temporary staff members at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) were suspended for allegedly demanding a bribe for a free wheelchair, which led to an 85-year-old patient with a diabetic foot ulcer to be dragged by his son, the hospital management claimed the incident was staged and shared CCTV footage.
Dean Dr M Geethanjali said the patient's attendant was asked to wait for a wheelchair to shift him from the first floor of the super-specialty block to the general surgery department in another block. "Refusing to accept this, the attendant forcibly removed the walker from the patient and dragged him. The attendant then had an autorickshaw driver record the incident to claim that they were denied a wheelchair," the dean said.
The dean added that it was an attempt to accuse the hospital management of not having sufficient wheelchairs and stretchers. "When the attendant asked for a wheelchair, the staff was attending to another patient, so he was asked to wait for 15 minutes. Though the facility was available, the attendant refused to accept it and argued with the staff," the dean added.
"Though there is no evidence to prove the allegations of staff demanding a bribe to shift the patient, we have temporarily suspended two staff for poorly handling the situation, considering the service to the patient. Other staff members have been instructed regarding patient care," the dean added.
V Kalidasan, who has a pancreatic illness, took his father, C Vadivel (84), who has a diabetic foot ulcer, to CMCH from Sowripalayam on Tuesday morning, to the vascular medicine department on the first floor.
While speaking to reporters in Chennai, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Thursday that the CMCH is a big hospital where about 4,000 patients receive treatment daily. "When the hospital personnel had gone to bring the wheelchair, the patient's son, out of concern and anxiety for his father, lifted and carried him. Immediately, people nearby filmed it and released the video. The video has been aired in the media. They released it even without verifying it," he said.
"The CMCH dean has given a clear explanation regarding the issue. Would such a large hospital not even have that three-wheeler vehicle? This has been turned into a big news story. I request you to investigate the truthfulness of any news you are about to publish," he said.