Hospital goof-up leaves kin shocked during last rites

Incident due to mix up of case sheets, says health official

In a goof-up at the Kallakurichi Government General Hospital, the body of a 52-year-old man who had tested negative for COVID-19 was handed over to the family of another person admitted to the hospital.

This lapse came to light when the family that received the body was preparing to conduct the last rites.

They alerted the authorities and the body was brought back to the hospital and kept in the mortuary.

According to a Health Department official, the body was handed over to the wrong family due to the mix-up of case sheets.

S. Kolanjiappan, 55, of Thottiyam near Kallakurichi, was admitted to the COVID-19 ward in the Kallakurichi GH on Sunday with complaints of fever.

Within a few hours, S. Balar of Tirukovilur was admitted to the same ward.

However, Balar died on Monday night and the body was released to the family of Mr. Kolanjiappan after the test results returned negative.

While conducting the last rites, Mr. Kolanjiappan’s family noticed that it was not him and raised an alarm.

They alerted the hospital and found that Mr. Kolanjiappan was under treatment in the COVID-19 ward.

The Health Department official said the test results of Mr. Kolanjiappan had returned negative and he was shifted to a general ward. The department has sought an explanation from two doctors and five nurses.