On the night of April 23, Bhavya, 18, of Madappally was taken to a private hospital in Vadakara here after she complained of migraine. A couple of hours later, she was unable to speak properly and her left leg and hand were paralysed.
What happened in between and thereafter are the subject of a hot debate now with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) threatening to launch a Statewide strike alleging that the resident medical officer (RMO) of the hospital was roughed up and abducted by the relatives of Bhavya.
A local action committee, formed with members from all major political parties, however, terms the treatment meted out to Bhavya and her parents unfair.
‘A cover-up’
“A few doctors are trying to cover up their mistake using their organisational strength. Bhavya was given an overdose of injection by the RMO, and her health worsened,” K. Kalajith, chairman of the committee, said on Monday.
He said Balakrishnan, the girl’s father, and others must have spoken loudly while demanding that the doctor provide them the details of the treatment.
“It was misconstrued as an assault. There were policemen at the hospital then. If the doctor was attacked, why did they not take action,” Mr. Kalajith asked. The allegation that the doctor was abducted was untrue as he was accompanied to the ambulance by seven police personnel.
Police silent
The police, however, are tight-lipped about the episode. A civil police officer attached to the Vadakara police station said cases had been registered against five persons and they were absconding.
Bhavya’s relatives said she would be taken to Chennai for further treatment this week. “She was hurriedly discharged from the medical college. Though Bhavya was taken to hospitals in Mahe, Thalassery and Pariyaram, the doctors there were hostile. Instead of treating her, they asked her to withdraw the case,” they alleged. Mr. Balakrishnan and Bhavya were unavailable for comments.
To move rights panel
Mr. Kalajith claimed that all the accused had applied for anticipatory bail at the district and sessions court, Kozhikode. The plea is expected to be taken up on Tuesday. “We are planning to move the State Human Rights Commission. If the authorities don’t take a favourable stand, we will stage an indefinite stir in front of the hospital,” he said. Meanwhile, the IMA has planned a dharna in Thiruvananthapuram on May 17.
