Security Guard suspended after patient dies at Neyyattinkara General Hospital

Thiruvananthapuram: Neyyattinkara District General Hospital has come under scrutiny after a patient collapsed and died at the facility, prompting the Kerala Health Department to suspend a security guard and order a high-level inquiry into the incident.  

Medical Dialogues yesterday reported that in a shocking incident, a 52-year-old man allegedly died after being asked to stand in a queue despite complaining of severe chest pain at Neyyattinkara General Hospital, raising serious concerns over the handling of medical emergencies at government hospitals. 

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Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said the disciplinary action was taken immediately after the patient's relatives lodged an official complaint alleging lapses in the handling of the emergency. The minister also directed the Director of Health Services to constitute an expert team to investigate the circumstances leading to the patient's death. 

The high-level panel includes Dr Bindu Mohan (Thiruvananthapuram DMO), Additional Directors Dr E Rajendran and Dr K Sandeep, Dr Neema P Karthikeyan (General Medicine Consultant, Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital), Dr S Priya (Assistant Professor of Cardiology, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College), and Dr Sooraj (Thiruvananthapuram District Aardram Coordinator), reports TNIE.

Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident. Chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas directed the Deputy DMO to conduct an inquiry and record statements from the deceased patient's relatives, the hospital superintendent, doctors, security personnel, and independent witnesses. The commission also instructed that the patient's medical records be examined to ascertain the cause of death.

The inquiry must also examine whether negligence by anyone contributed to the death and whether a police case has been registered in connection with the incident, and a report should be submitted to the DMO. Based on this, the DMO must file a detailed report along with the inquiry findings at the commission office within a month. The commission also ordered the hospital superintendent to submit a separate report within one month, reports TOI.

At the commission's sitting scheduled for 10 a.m. on September 2, the Deputy DMO will appear on behalf of the DMO, while a senior officer will represent the hospital superintendent. 

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan assured that the government would take further legal and administrative action once the committee submits its detailed report.

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