A significant uproar occurred at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital (KCSSH) in Guindy, Chennai, as relatives of a deceased youth clashed with hospital staff, accusing the doctors of negligence and claiming that the absence of medical professionals led to the young man’s death. The incident follows an earlier assault by Vignesh, a man from Perungalathur, who attacked Oncologist Dr. Balaji Jagannath, blaming poor treatment and neglect for his mother’s deteriorating condition.
Vignesh, a resident of Perumbakkam in Chennai, was admitted to KCSSH on 13 November 2024, with complaints of abdominal pain. Medical tests revealed he had gallstones, and he was moved to the emergency department that same night. However, Vignesh suddenly passed away in the early hours of 15 November allegedly without receiving treatment.
His family members accused the hospital staff of not being present when needed, claiming that the absence of doctors was the cause of his death. This led to a heated argument between the relatives and hospital staff. Following the altercation, Guindy police inspector intervened and engaged in discussions with the family, which eventually led to calm.
The brother of the deceased youth spoke to the press, saying, “My brother’s name is Vignesh. On the 13th night, we brought him to the hospital because he was suffering from abdominal pain due to gallstones. They asked us put admission here and asked for Aadhar card, which we provided. After that, they took him to the emergency ward for about five minutes. In the emergency ward, they didn’t do anything. They simply made him sit in a wheelchair, asked him to bend and raise, and then said it was nothing by giving him an injection and transferred him to a regular ward.
They placed him in the MAG ward or something like that, and after that the entire night, no one checked on him. Even the next day, until 9 p.m., no one came to see if he was okay. They didn’t check him whether he was alright has pulse, blood pressure, or not. They have done anything at all. Then, last night, when he struggled to breathe, they moved him to the emergency ICU and inserted a temporary respirator into his mouth. But even in the ICU, after putting the temporary respirator in his nose and mouth, they didn’t provide any further treatment. Whether doctor’s visit to check or assess his condition whether his condition could be recovered or not. No doctor came to see and not even single person came to check.”
He expressed his frustration, saying, “The poor come to government hospitals hoping for help from the government, but despite the hospital being named after Kalaignar Centenary, the treatment is inadequate. If they had told us during admission that there were no doctors available, we would have gone to another hospital instead of wasting time here.”
On 14 November 2024, a violent incident at Kalaignar Centenary Hospital in Chennai shocked the public when a relative of a patient allegedly assaulted a doctor. The incident stirred controversy, but the assailant’s mother, Prema, shared her side of the story, revealing her frustration with the hospital’s care.
Prema explained that her son’s violent reaction was fueled by his emotional distress over the perceived neglect of her condition. She criticized the hospital for providing substandard care and not addressing her concerns. Prema further explained that her son’s actions were driven by his deep affection for her and a sense of helplessness after feeling the hospital staff had failed to offer proper treatment.
Prema also shared the challenges her family faced, including the struggle to obtain necessary documents from another hospital, SRM, and her frustration with the government’s lack of support. She claimed that doctors at Kalaignar Centenary Hospital had not explained her medical condition or performed proper tests, and she lamented rumors about her health, including false reports about her having stage 5 cancer.
In a shocking revelation, Prema explained that Dr. Balaji at Adayar Institute had initially told her she was in the second stage of cancer and could be treated with fewer sessions. However, due to financial constraints, she had to decline further treatment. After eventually being admitted to Kalaignar Centenary, Prema claimed that Dr. Balaji did not check on her and dismissed her need for more chemotherapy, further fueling her frustration.
When asked by the press whether the doctor had performed any scans or explained her medical condition, Prema replied, “Not once did the doctor say ‘You’ve this problem’ to me. Not a single time.”
இது அவங்க ஆட்சி, அவர்கள் அரசு, அவர்களை என்ன கேட்க முடியும்? நம்மை கொன்றாலும் கொன்று விடுவார்கள்#guindy #GovernmentHospital #msubramanian #DMK #doctorattack #tamiljanam pic.twitter.com/zW6I47mOHd
— Tamil Janam (@TamilJanamNews) November 13, 2024
Recently, government hospitals in Tamil Nadu have become increasingly unreliable, with several incidents of sudden deaths attributed to a lack of proper care, attention and due to medical negligence of the doctors. Below are some of the key issues contributing to this growing concern.
Husband Loses Sensation Below Waist After Surgery at Tiruvallur Hospital
In May 2024, Savitri, a woman from Tiruvallur, lodged a formal complaint with the District Collector’s office, accusing doctors at Tiruvallur Government Hospital of medical negligence that resulted in her husband, Kandhan Kumar, losing sensation below the waist.
Savitri’s husband, Kandhan Kumar, was admitted to Tiruvallur Government Hospital on March 10 for treatment of a stomach tumor and underwent surgery on 23 March. However, there was a delay of 2-3 hours after the operation, and Savitri later learned that a needle had broken during the procedure, requiring an operation light, and that his stomach had been scratched. An MRI revealed internal bleeding, and Savitri was advised to transfer him to a Chennai hospital, where doctors informed her that he would never walk again due to nerve damage.
Savitri criticized the hospital for not fully disclosing the complications and for downplaying the severity of the situation. She claimed the staff was now suggesting exercise as a solution, which she believes is an attempt to cover up their negligence.
17-Year-Old Dies After Alleged Wrong Treatment at Villupuram Hospital
In January 2024, 17-year-old Subhasree, a 12th-grade student, died after treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital in Villupuram. Admitted for abdominal pain, she was treated for liver and kidney infections but suffered fatal convulsions after a neck injection.
Doctors noted mild swelling in her liver and gallbladder but couldn’t determine the cause. The family questioned the neck injection, accusing the hospital of wrongful treatment. They staged protests along the Chennai-Trichy highway, demanding justice. Police assured action after the family filed a complaint, calling for accountability for Subhasree’s death.
Woman Undergoes Angio, Ends Up Losing Her Arm
Jyoti, a 32-year-old woman from Chennai, went to Rajiv Gandhi Hospital for an angioplasty procedure and was initially in good health. However, after the treatment, her arm became swollen, and blood clots developed. Allegations of negligence soon surfaced, with her husband, Zeenath, a physically challenged man, claiming the doctors failed to explain the situation properly and even removed tissue from her arm.
Initially, doctors attributed the issue to a blood clot, but later indicated that amputation might be necessary. Zeenath expressed his distress, alleging that the hospital’s carelessness had put Jyoti’s life in danger, with discussions about amputating both her arms and legs.
இவை அனைத்தும் கடந்த 8 மாதத்தில் பேசு பொருளான நாம் கடந்து வந்த அரசு மருத்துவமனை செய்திகள் 🥲
இதில் ஒரு பிரச்சனைக்காவது சுகாதாரத்துறை அமைச்சரோ இல்லை முதல்வரோ எதாவது ஒரு நடவேடிக்கை எடுத்திருக்கிறார்களா?
அப்படி எதாவது எடுத்தால் கூறுங்கள் தெரிந்து கொள்வோம்🤦#DMKFailsTN pic.twitter.com/XCFapEH7VD
— Bagavath Pratheep (@Bagavathprathee) September 27, 2023
Policeman’s Daughter’s Leg Amputated
Head Constable Kothandapani’s daughter had fallen into a coma due to alleged medical negligence while being treated at Egmore Children’s Hospital. The daughter, aged 10, had received government-prescribed medications since she was three, and Kothandapani claimed that incorrect diagnosis and treatment led to severe complications. He demanded action against responsible doctors and questioned the hospital’s lack of explanation. Instead of a response, the child was given a disability certificate from the National Children’s Commission.
Pregnant Woman Loses Newborn Due to Alleged Negligence at Thiruvannamalai PHC
In October 2023, a pregnant woman tragically lost her newborn at Thellar Government Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, due to alleged medical negligence. The woman, admitted on the night of 29 October with mild contractions, was initially assured that the delivery could proceed smoothly. However, by 3 AM, staff called for an ambulance, citing delivery complications but later claimed the baby was healthy and could be delivered at the PHC.
At around 7 AM, the family was informed that the baby was born unresponsive and CPR was being performed. For two hours, nurses continued CPR without a doctor present. The doctor only arrived at 9:30 AM, and the family alleges that staff had misled them about the doctor’s involvement and the delivery process.
Woman Dies After Caesarean Operation
In August 2023, at the Virudhachalam government hospital in Tamil Nadu, Kalpana, a pregnant woman, underwent a caesarean operation but tragically passed away. Her family was denied access to her initially, and when they finally saw her, she was unresponsive. Despite their efforts, Kalpana could not be revived, and the family accused the medical staff of negligence.
Football Player Dies After Botched Surgery
In November 2022, a tragic incident occurred involving Priya R, a 17-year-old football player who underwent knee surgery to address a ligament tear. Unfortunately, on the morning of November 15, 2022, she lost her life due to medical negligence, resulting in multiple organ failures. The negligence involved the use of a tightly bound band on her right leg following the surgery, which obstructed blood flow. Subsequently, doctors at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital recommended amputation of the leg due to severe muscle rot. Tragically, Priya succumbed to her deteriorating health, passing away at Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai.
Toddler Dies After Amputation
In July 2023, a one-and-a-half-year-old toddler, whose right hand was amputated following a medical procedure, tragically passed away at the Government Institute of Child Health in Egmore. The child had been battling for life in the ICU and succumbed to his condition at around 5.40 a.m. The amputation had sparked allegations of medical negligence by the parents against doctors and nurses at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. However, an internal committee formed by the Health Department cleared the hospital staff, suggesting that a bacterial infection called Pseudomonas might have caused Ischaemia leading to limb amputation. The parents were dissatisfied with this explanation, as they claimed that the improper insertion of an IV cannula had caused gangrene.
Infant Dies After Vaccination
In July 2023, a 10-month-old girl tragically died after receiving a vaccination at an Anganwadi centre in Tanjore, Tamil Nadu. The parents, Geetha and Satish Kumar were called to the centre for their daughter Taranika’s vaccination. Shortly after receiving the vaccine, the child suffered an allergic reaction and lost consciousness. They rushed her to a local primary health centre where she received four more injections, which worsened her condition. Subsequently, they were transferred to Thanjavur Government Rasamirasudhar Hospital, where doctors declared the child dead. The parents suspected the vaccination was the cause of death and demanded a thorough investigation and appropriate action against those responsible.
These are just a few instances that has managed to make it to the news. It is possible that many more such cases either go unreported or gets deliberately buried.
Earlier in 2022, there were reports of medicine shortage in Tamil Nadu government hospitals across the state. These claims of medicine shortages were made by the doctors themselves. According to doctors, the drugs experiencing significant shortages include Ciprofloxacin, Furosemide, Omeprazole, Clopidogrel, and Cefotaxime. Primary Health Centres had a shortage of medicines for snake bite. In addition to these medications, hospitals in Tamil Nadu were grappling with a scarcity of antibiotics and intravenous fluids, which had severely hampered the operations of medical institutions, including medical college hospitals. Injections including Paracetamol, Diclofenac, Cefotaxime, Ceftriaxone and IV Infusion fluids were in acute shortage in the state. But, the DMK Health Minister Ma Subramanian rubbished the reports saying that there was no shortage of medicines and instead asked people to register a complaint with the helpline number 104 in case there was shortage.
The healthcare system in Tamil Nadu is grappling with serious problems with the poor becoming victims. It is high time the DMK government which thumps its chest about the “Dravidian Model” and Tamil Nadu being a forerunner in healthcare gets its act together.
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