In a disturbing incident at the Salem Government Medical College Hospital, patients collecting medicines were allegedly given incorrect prescriptions after a pharmacist on duty was found to be under the influence of alcohol.
According to reports, the hospital, which receives between 2,000 to 5,000 patients daily from various districts, faced a serious lapse on 28 April evening. Crowds had gathered at the dispensary, forming long queues at both counters. During this time, a 56-year-old pharmacist named Mathesh, who was overseeing one of the counters, was reportedly behaving erratically.
A concerned young man noticed the pharmacist staggering and accused him of altering the prescribed medications, potentially endangering patients’ lives. Despite his repeated pleas, no hospital staff initially intervened. The man stood in protest for over 20 minutes outside the pharmacy, demanding immediate action.
The incident was recorded on video, in which a young man can be heard saying, “We need a medical report on him.” The person filming then asked, “What happened?” The youth explained, “He switched the pills and gave them to me. We handed him our medical prescription receipt, but he set it aside and gave us a different one.” When asked, “What did he say when you questioned him?” the youth replied, “He just kept blabbering and wouldn’t respond properly. I realized as I read it, What about the people bought before me?”
“ காசில்லன்னு தான் GH க்கு வர்ரோம்.. இனி வீட்டிலேயே செத்துர்ரோம்… ” போதை ஊழியர் விபரீத செயல்..! நோயாளிகள் ஜஸ்ட் மிஸ்ஸான தருணம்..#Salem | #GovtHospital | #Medical | #TabletIssue | #Police | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/OfpGjJ8il1
— Polimer News (@polimernews) April 29, 2025
Shortly afterward, Mathesh locked the counter and went inside the pharmacy. As a result, several patients and their relatives were left waiting for extended periods to receive their medication. Eventually, a head constable from the hospital police outpost arrived and took the pharmacist in for questioning. Preliminary tests reportedly confirmed that Mathesh had consumed alcohol while on duty.
Family members of patients expressed serious concern, stating that the situation could have turned tragic had the mistake gone unnoticed. They called for strict disciplinary measures and urged authorities to remove individuals under the influence from such critical roles.
(With inputs from Polimer News)
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