Irate family members and relatives of a 16-year-old boy who died at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital on Thursday resorted to a road blockade on the Vazhuthavur Road alleging medical negligence on the part of the hospital.
The victim A. Manibharathi, hailing from Velan Nagar in Saram, was studying Plus One in the Navalar Nedunchezhian Government Higher Secondary School in Lawspet. Manibharathi was returning from school on Monday when he consumed a chocolate offered by a stranger. However, he fell ill after consuming the chocolate and his mother Jayalakshmi and sister Manju took him to the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital at Kathirgamam. The doctors on duty treated him and sent him home. As his condition did not improve, the family again went to the hospital for the next two days and he was treated as an outpatient and sent home.
A. Manibharathi, 16, who died while undergoing treatment at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital at Kathirgamam on Wednesday night.
When Manibharathi’s health deteriorated on Wednesday, his family rushed him again to the hospital where he died while undergoing treatment.
On information, the victim’s relatives, along with Kathirgamam MLA N.S.J. Jayabal and former MLA Ashok Anand, resorted to a road blockade in front of the hospital on Vazhuthavur Road on Thursday alleging medical negligence.
Shortage of doctors
Mr. Jayabal expressed his displeasure over the shortage of doctors and lack of facilities at the hospital and said this had resulted in the death of several patients visiting the hospital over the last one year. He said the doctors on duty had not provided proper treatment to Manibharathi and accused them of negligence.
The agitators also demanded that disciplinary action should be initiated against the doctors who were on duty and that the post-mortem examination should be conducted under the supervision of a magistrate at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer).
Later, Mr. Jayabal and Mr. Ashok Anand, accompanied by the relatives of the victim, met hospital director Dr. V. Govindaraj demanding an investigation into the boy’s death. Dr. Govindaraj said that a report would be submitted to the Health Secretary and if any negligence was found on the part of doctors, action would be initiated against them.
The hospital also agreed to the relatives’ demand that the post-mortem examination be conducted at Jipmer following which they withdrew their protest. Traffic was disrupted on the Vazhuthavur Road for over an hour due to the blockade.
