Reports of negligence at Vilappil health centre baseless: KGMOA

The Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) has termed baseless reports of a patient being denied treatment at the Vilappil community health centre where he had reached following difficulty in breathing.

In a statement here on Tuesday, the KGMOA said the death of the patient was distressing, however, allegations of lapses in treatment were false.

According to the statement, the main gate of the health centre was always open and the grill door leading inside the health centre building were closed as per safety guidelines.

Within minutes of the patient, P. Bismeer of Kollamkonam, reaching the hospital and calling out, the doctor on duty examined him and began emergency treatment.

After Bismeer’s examination, the ambulance was arranged without delay and he was referred to Government Medical College Hospital for advanced care, the statement said.

The statement added that the CCTV visuals made it clear that the best treatment available at the 24-hour health centre was provided to the patient despite the shortage of human resources and in the absence of casualty.

According to the statement, Bismeer was already under treatment for heart-related ailments. He had reached the health centre with the same difficulties two days before the incident and was treated there. He was also advised to consult with an expert without any delay. However, that did not happen.

Allegations of denial of treatment against this backdrop were an insult to health workers’ honest service and misleading, the statement further said.

The KGMOA also condemned an incident on January 24 in which some political activists reached the health centre and insulted and threatened the doctors and staff on duty and disrupted the functioning of the facility.

It pointed out that the health centre had only three permanent posts of doctors and was without any permanent nursing staff. Round-the-clock services, including inpatient services, were provided with the help of temporary staff. Attempts to lower the morale of the staff and besmirch the reputation of the health centre were not acceptable, the KGMOA district committee said, calling for strict action against those disrupting the functioning of the health facility.