There have been lapses on the part of hospitals in the district in connection with the delay in performing COVID-19 tests on a 67-year-old patient from Vanchiyoor who died on June 12, District Collector Navjot Khosa has said.
Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, Ms. Khosa termed the reports submitted by the General Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, and the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) as unsatisfactory. A report in this regard would be submitted to the Principal Secretary (Health), she said.
The Collector had sought reports from the two institutions following complaints that the patient, who died on June 12, had not been tested on time for COVID-19.
The Vanchiyoor native who was brought dead to the General Hospital on June 12 was diagnosed with COVID-19 only on June 15. The source of infection has not been ascertained.
Meanwhile, the Collector ruled out lapses on the part of the MCH in connection with the suicide of two patients on June 10 in the COVID-19 ward.
Withdrawal symptoms
Both patients had exhibited acute withdrawal symptoms according to the MCH, she said.
The District Collector’s assessment vindicates the Opposition’s charges concerning lapses on the part of the Health Department in tackling COVID-19, MLA and former Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar said. Of the four COVID-19 deaths reported in the district so far, the source of infection had not been ascertained in three cases, he said in a statement.
