Failure of systems

The shocking incident in which a kidney, which was brought from Aluva to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, was kept in the operation theatre for four hours due to the negligence of hospital authorities might not have occurred anywhere else. Kerala Kaumudi was the first to bring out the news regarding this. Although the surgery was performed, that unfortunate patient died on Sunday morning. This incident was the latest among a series of errors that have been taking place in the state's oldest medical college hospital. The medical report said that the cause of death was a heart attack. However, the serious delay associated with kidney transplant surgery has become a hot topic of discussion.

Heads of the Urology and Nephrology departments have been suspended following a finding that there was prima facie a failure of coordination. This action is just a normal procedure. Those who are in suspension will return after the current noise subsides. Health Minister Veena George was quoted as saying that such incidents should not be repeated and that no one should be in such a situation again. None of this can be considered a change. What happened in the Medical College Hospital was the failure of the systems. This is not the first such incident. It will never be the last. The systems in the Medical College are like that. If the system was good, those who carried the box with the kidney would not have had to run to the operation theatre. Those in charge would not have left the spot after closing the operation theatre. In this age of high speed internet, it is not difficult to know the trajectory of an ambulance. The relatives of a youth who suffered brain death at Rajagiri Hospital in Aluva had volunteered to donate his organs to deserving patients. Two doctors from Thiruvananthapuram rushed to Aluva soon after hearing this. They soon returned with a kidney without wasting any time. It is shocking to see that the doctors and staff in charge of the Medical College Hospital did not even show the slightest bit of sincerity shown by the ambulance driver and the police officers. There are many examples of how unitedly and humanely all the departments of the hospital work in situations like this. The suspended department heads and those who worked in this regard may have some excuses to tell. However, they must acknowledge the fact that it was their negligence that caused a delay in completing the surgery.

Retired ITI instructor G Sureshkumar, who underwent an organ transplant surgery, is the latest victim of medical negligence. The 62-year-old may have entered the operating room hoping to return to a new life with a transplanted kidney. That life came to an end forever without even knowing what had happened.

There are indications that Sureshkumar's relatives may be preparing for legal action over the events that led to his death. The late Suresh Kumar was a shakha secretary for a long time. The SNDP shakha workers are preparing for an agitation against the hospital negligence.

The family members of the deceased are also entitled to higher compensation. Hospitals and doctors will refrain from such an irresponsible approach only when such a trend develops.