CHENNAI: Though the hospital video showing late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa sipping a health drink ticked off a high decibel political debate on Wednesday, this 20-second footage appears genuine but seems to be shot without her knowledge and consent, claims an expert.
“The video breaches her privacy and her right to confidentiality to retain information about her health condition. Legally, medically and ethically the video and also its selective leak is wrong and its purpose is questionable. What was the purpose and why somebody should do it, is puzzling,” said D. V. Pugazhendi of Doctors for Safer Environment (Dose), here. This doctor-activist says the video, “looks like genuine. We feel that it was probably taken in the high dependency ward of Apollo hospitals probably in November last year. Due to improvement in her health condition, she was shifted to what Dr Pratap Reddy, Chairman, had said – to high dependency ward from intensive cardiac care unit,” he said.
“We feel that the video could have been shot between November 22 and 30th and reports of AIIMS and Apollo hospitals, said she was better, so she was moved out of the CCC unit. Judging the direction she was facing in the footage, our impression is that the video was taken without her consent and her knowledge. Legally nobody can take a picture or video of a patient inside the hospital without the patient’s consent,” Dr Pugazhendi asserted.
Pointing out that the video showed the former CM in poor light, he said, “Madam would certainly not like to be pictured this way. And would not have allowed it. Media claims that it was shot by Sasikala.”
On December 2, she developed pneumonia for which new antibiotic was ordered. Her oxygen requirement was twice the amount before she got pneumonia and she developed breathlessness. Why was she not shifted back to the ICCU, has remained a mystery till now,” Dr Pugazhendi said.
