Tirunelveli: A four-year-old child died at Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli Government Hospital, with the family alleging medical negligence. The child, Ponmaran, was reportedly injected with a contrast agent for a CT scan by an intern with a B.Sc. in Radiology Imaging, in the absence of doctors.
Hospital Denies Allegations
Hospital Dean Revathy refuted the negligence claims, stating that the concerned doctor was present nearby in the console room during the procedure. Ponmaran was undergoing treatment for generalized lymphadenopathy, with tests underway to check for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Despite doctors’ efforts, he died on Wednesday night.
Political Backlash
Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K. Annamalai criticized the state’s healthcare system, alleging that lives are being lost due to the absence of doctors. He questioned, “What is the Health Minister doing besides appointing doctors? Doesn’t he feel ashamed after destroying the medical system for four years?”
Separate Incident: Cancer Patient Dies Allegedly After Rat Bite in Rajasthan
In a separate case, a 10-year-old cancer patient admitted to a Rajasthan government hospital allegedly died after a rat bite. However, hospital officials denied this, stating the cause of death was septicemic shock and high infection.
The Rajasthan government has formed a panel to investigate the incident. Medical Education Secretary Ambrish Kumar has sought a detailed report from Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College, which is affiliated with the State Cancer Institute.
