Thiruvananthapuram: The committee, headed by director of health services, which probed allegations of denial of treatment leading to the death of Tamil Nadu native Murukan, has found serious lapses on the part of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital. The Tiruelveli resident, who was brought to the MCH after being denied treatment at five private hospitals, was refused admission citing non-availability of ventilator. The committee found that denying admission to a critically injured patient was a serious lapse. Doctors, instead of admitting him, had picked up an argument with the ambulance staff and in the process lost precious time to save Murukan.
The report found that standard operating procedures to be adopted in such cases were not followed at the MCH, which again was a serious lapse. A section of MCH authorities had admitted to the media that two ventilators were available on the day Murukan was brought to the hospital. The committee has also recommended a series of measures to prevent recurrence of such grave incidents. Additional Chief Secretary (health) Rajeev Sadanandan has convened a meeting of authorities from all medical colleges in the State on Friday to discuss changes to the SOP at casualty emergency departments.
On the average 11 persons die and 120 sustain grievous to minor injuries in road accidents in the state daily. While fatal accidents have increased manifold, the facilities at these centres continue to remain poor. Trauma care wings of Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Manjeri need complete overhaul. The modernisation of Trivandrum medical college on the lines of All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jayprakash Narayan Trauma Centre has already begun. On an average 700 to 1,000 persons are treated at casualty wings of these hospitals. Under the modernisation plan, the government intends to introduce diagnostic facilities, including X-ray, ultrasound scan, CT scan and MRI scan under one roof.
At major medical college hospitals, the government plans to increase the number of operation theatres and attach various specialities including surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, septic operation theatre, surgery procedure room and ortho procedure rooms. AIIMS experts are assisting in the setting up of state-of-the-art emergency and trauma care facility at the Trivandrum Medical College. Similar facilities will also be put in place in other major hospitals.
