Thiruvananthapuram: The latest tragedy at the Kottayam medical college premises where a 56-year-old woman died after she was trapped in the debris of the three-storey medical college building has raised serious questions over the much praised ‘Kerala health model’ and the government’s attitude towards the public health care system.
It was at 10:30 am on July 3 that a portion of the building at the MCH Kottayam collapsed following which people in the nearby wards and rooms gathered at the spot. People from the nearby vicinity gathered in large numbers as the debris was lying near the hospital.
While people gathered on the spot managed to rescue two persons with minor injuries from the debris, Health Minister Veena George and Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, who arrived at the scene shortly after the accident, asserted that the building was not in use and that no one was trapped under the rubble.
The ministers’ statements allegedly contributed to a significant delay in the rescue operations, as excavators were not brought to the site until 12.30 pm, two hours after the accident. The collapsed building, situated deep within the hospital campus, further delayed the timely arrival of rescue equipment. Hospital authorities earlier said the collapsed section was part of an old and disused bathroom complex attached to the 14th ward (Orthopaedics Department) of the hospital.
It was only after Bindu’s daughter reported that her mother had gone to the bathroom and could not be reached by phone that authorities decided to conduct a thorough search of the debris.
By the time Bindu was recovered from the rubble and shifted to the casualty department, which was only a few meters away from the accident site, she had already succumbed to her injuries.
This proved the initial statement made by health minister Veena George was totally false and misleading.
Massive protest erupted in Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram demanding the resignation of health minister Veena George over the incident.
BJP, Congress leaders demanded the resignation of health minister alleging that she had delayed the search and rescue operations and also misled the media where she stated that the building was abandoned and was kept unused for a long time.
Back to back incidents reported at government hospitals exposes deep flaws within the system
It was just a week ago that the HOD of Urology department working at the Trivandrum Medical college made a startling revelation in Facebook over the scarcity of crucial medical equipment’s and other basic facilities at the hospital. After the allegation found true, health minister herself had to come forward to defend the hospital infrastructure saying that ‘it was all part of the system’ and the issue will be resolved.
On July 2, a KSRTC driver who was injured in an accident was taken to the Thrissur medical college in an ambulance. It was reported that the driver’s treatment was delayed for 2 hours.
Apart from the incidents reported in Trivandrum, Thrissur and Kottayam, there are now a list of incidents reflecting the medical apathy in the state’s government-owned hospitals where a majority of people depend for primary and secondary care treatment.
“The recent incidents reported in our state has clearly exposed our draw backs in the health sector which we always assert as the best in the country. If funds meant for