TIRUCHY: A 60-year-old woman recovering after orthopaedic surgery at Tiruchy Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) was allegedly bitten by a rat while she was asleep in the early hours of Thursday.
The woman, R Tamil Kodi (60) of Alathur in Thiruverumbur, had suffered a fracture in her left leg and was admitted to the Orthopaedic Female Ward at MGMGH on July 10. She underwent the surgery on July 20 and was shifted to ward 500, designated for patients covered under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.
Vijayakumar, her son and bystander, told TNIE he saw a rat biting his mother’s left toe around 5 am on Thursday. “Being diabetic, she did not feel the pain. I immediately informed the staff nurses, but they asked me to wash her toe with soap,” he said, adding his mother received treatment after an hour and was later shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
When contacted, MGMGH dean Dr S Kumaravel told TNIE, “The ward where the woman is admitted is one of the cleanest in the hospital. The rat only caused a superficial injury and did not bite off any part of the toe. Although the patient’s son informed the staff nurse, I did not receive any complaint,” he added.
During a visit to the hospital on Thursday, TNIE found several rat holes in different parts of the hospital. Patients and attendants with whom TNIE interacted also said rats frequently entered the wards, particularly at night, causing fear and damaging bags and clothes.
Condemning the incident, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the incident reflects the poor state of affairs at government hospitals in the state. He alleged while people are suffering, the health minister is busy celebrating “a film’s release”, and urged the state government to provide the woman with proper treatment and adequate compensation.
