Murukan death: Police questions Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital doctors

KOLLAM: The police probing the death of Tamil Nadu native Murukan not getting timely medical aid has questioned two doctors who were on duty at Thiruvananthapuram MCH. The doctors have approached the Kerala High Court for anticipatory bail, while A. Ashokan, ACP Kollam district crime branch, who leads the investigation, said they would soon decide on the arrest of culprits. “We are yet to receive the medical report from the health directorate. We will also question doctors at the private hospitals involved from Monday,” he told DC.

The health directorate has found serious setbacks on the part of hospitals including the MCH in providing timely medical aid to the victim injured in a road accident. The council under health director Dr L.R. Sarita had found the guidelines on providing treatment to patients under critical condition violated. Murukan, 37, of Thirunelveli died on August 7 of injuries from a motorcycle accident at Chathannoor here and had to wait eight hours in an ambulance at various hospitals seeking treatment.

The police had registered a case against Medicity Medical College, Azeezia Medical College, Meditrina Hospital, all in Kollam, and SUT Hospital and the MCH for negligence under sections of IPC 304 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The State Human Rights Commission also registered a suo-moto case.

Doctors blame it on the system

Opposing arrests Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association president Dr Kavitha Ravi and secretary Dr Nirmal Bhaskar in a joint statement said doctors need not know about the availability of vacant ventilators in ICUs scattered in various departments. There should be a centralised facility to face such situations. An accident insurance scheme to provide free treatment should also be employed.