Kerala: Denied treatment by hospitals, accident victim dies after seven hours

Kollam(Ker), Aug 7: After denied treatment by various hospitals in Kerala and in Thiruvananthapuram, a 30-year-old man from Tamil Nadu who was seriously injured in a road mishap died on Monday. He was battling for his life for nearly 7 hours.

The man was taken to atleast two private hospitals in an ambulance soon after the mishap here late last night, police said today. However, as there were no bystanders, the hospitals refused to admit him, they said. Kollam Police commissioner Ajitha Begum said the ambulance driver's complaint had been received.

Two hospitals in Kollam, including medi city, have denied treatment to the patient. "A case of medical negligence has been registered against them," the police commissioner told PTI. Though the patient was taken to the Thiruvananthapuram medical college, treatment could not be provided as the emergency room was full, she said.

The seriously injured patient was in the ambulance for nearly seven hours. The ambulance driver said they were informed after nearly two hours that there was no ventilator facility available at the Trivandrum medical college and the patient was sent back.

"This is a wrong precedent.. We have got a complaint and we will enquire If private hospitals have refused admission," she said. The deceased, Murugan, hailing from Tirunelveli was seriously injured in a motorbike accident at 11 PM last night and died at around 6 AM this morning.

PTI