KK Shailaja orders probe into alleged medical negligence at Kerala hospital

KOCHI: Health minister KK Shailaja on Monday ordered a probe into the incidents where some Covid patients reportedly lost their lives due to negligence on the part of the staff at Government Medical College, Ernakulam. She asked the director of medical education to conduct the probe and submit the report at the earliest.

While giving a voice message to the nursing staff, reminding them of the precautions to be taken by them during the visit by the Central team at the medical college, the nursing officer can be heard saying that some patients had died due to the negligence of the staff. “Some patients have lost their lives due to the minor negligence on the part of staff. Doctors have reported about such cases. But they haven’t taken disciplinary action against the staff as they are working very hard.”

She can be heared in the voice clip saying that a Covid patient who was on ventilator support died after its tubing was dislocated. “His condition had improved, and he was about to be shifted out of ICU when the mishap occurred. Such incidents should not happen,” she says in the voice clip.

However, the medical college authorities said that no such incident has occurred at the hospital. “No such deaths have occurred in the medical college. I haven’t heard the voice message. But, I had talked to the nursing officer. She said that she exaggerated the negligence so as to make the staff more vigilant,” said Dr Pater Vazhayil, medical superintendent, Government Medical College, Ernakulam. “We are providing the best care to the patients. Death rate here is much less compared to that of other hospitals. All the staff work with complete dedication,” he said.