M'luru: Family alleges negligence by Wenlock; DC orders probe into woman's death

Mangaluru:  The Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Dr. Rajendra K.V. has instructed the district medical officer (DMO) to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged medical negligence at District Wenlock Hospital in the death of a woman from Kasaragod. He instructed the DMO to submit the report within 4 hours.

The family of the deceased woman had alleged that the woman had difficulty breathing and was made to wait for over an hour to get a bed at the hospital. This delay in treatment caused her death, they complained.

MLA Vedavyas Kamath also visited Wenlock hospital on Tuesday and took stock of the situation.

According to the family of the deceased, the woman was suffering from a urinary infection. As she suddenly developed breathing issues, on Monday, she was referred to Wenlock hospital for advanced treatment. She reached the hospital in the evening, but hospital staff denied admission due to “ICU beds being full” at the time of admission. Staff also instructed the family to inquire at the new block of the hospital for the availability of an ICU bed, they added.

Even after waiting for an hour at the new block, the woman did not get an ICU bed needed and was advised to be taken to another hospital. After the family quarreled with the hospital administration, she was admitted into the hospital, but could not be saved, they added.

However, the family accused that the woman died due to the inordinate delay and medical negligence as the cause of her death.

“My wife had been brought to Wenlock after she developed respiratory problems. However, she did not get a bed in time. We approached MLA Vedavyas Kamath and only after his intervention an ICU bed with a ventilator facility was arranged. But, she could not be saved,” said the husband of the deceased.

Another case:

In another case, a patient from Karkala had a blood clot in the brain due to a fall and was admitted into the hospital in Udupi. Doctors referred the patient to Wenlock. The wife of the man also complained about the callousness of the hospital staff at Wenlock.

DC orders probe:

The deputy commissioner Dr. Rajendra K.V. told Udayavani that he had inquired about the incident with the medical officer of the hospital as soon as the matter was brought to his notice. “As per the medical officer, the condition of the patient had deteriorated by the time she was brought in. As there are allegations of inordinate delay in admission, I have ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter,” he said.

Hospital denies negligence:

Meanwhile, the hospital denied any negligence on its part. Wenlock’s medical superintendent Dr Sadashiv Shanubagh said “We deny any medical negligence. When the patient from Kasaragod arrived, three other patients were being admitted. A ventilator was arranged for the woman after attending to the other.”

CCTV to be installed:

MLA Vedavyas Kamath said, “I have collected information from the doctors, medical superintendent, and the patient’s family members. To avoid such incidents in the future CCTV cameras will be installed in the hospital premises, including the corridor of the old building.”