The District Medical Officer (Kollam), in a report submitted to the District Collector, has indicted the hospitals in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram that allegedly refused to admit an accident victim on Sunday night, leading to his death.
The report says that the denial of admission is a violation of rules and the hospitals have no right to deny admission to accident victims and persons brought in a critical condition.
The DMO says preliminary inquiry shows that the hospitals concerned have not adhered to the rules and the guidelines of courts in this connection.
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“The development calls for strong action against the medical personnel in the hospitals concerned. The Health Minister has already directed a high-level police and Health Department probe into the incident.” The report says that the denial of admission resulted in the death of the victim seven hours after he met with the accident.
It also suggests guidelines for avoiding such tragedies. The DMO says that all government hospitals, including district and taluk-level hospitals, should be equipped with full-fledged trauma care facilities.
Details of the trauma care facilities should be exhibited at the respective hospital.
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As many government hospitals lack proper trauma care facilities, strict instructions should be given by the government to private hospitals to provide proper trauma care to accident victims brought to these hospitals.
The report says that for accident victims with serious head injuries, the first 24 hours are crucial when it comes to trauma care. At the same time it is also costly. Therefore, the government should think of providing accident victims with an insurance cover to meet the expenses for the first 24 hours of treatment.