It was some pain that Pantheerankaavu native Harshina endured for five years. In 2017, the doctors while performing a C-section on Harshina, left a pair of forceps in her stomach. The incident took place during the third cesarean. The grueling pain continued for several years after which she decided to reach a private hospital to do a scanning. To the shock, the report found the metal lying close to her abdomen. The mother of three now is subjected to grotesque politics in the health department as the hospital and the health minister in cohorts denied the scissors to be from Kozhikode Medical College. Harshina even rejected a compensation amount as a mark of protest to this hasty statement from the health minister.

It finally took the police force from the state to confirm the truth and to no surprise, the investigation report said the scissors hailed from Kozhikode medical college. Meanwhile, behind the screens, smarmy ploys are running actively to help save the doctors and the nurses who did the sluggish work that heaped disaster on Harshina. Amidst all the odds, Harshina is still continuing a sit-in protest in front of Kozhikode medical college. She is iron-fisted in her stand and says the protest will end only when the real culprits are caught. Her husband and son are also accompanying in the protest.

It was after several rounds of ambiguities that the police finally reached a conclusion with this case. It was confirmed that the scissors came from the labor room at Kozhikode medical college. The investigation was led by Medical College Assistant Commissioner K Sudarshan. A report has been submitted to the District Medical Officer. The committee chaired by DMO will meet on the 1st of next month. Harshina's innocence and her cry for justice were willingly snubbed by the Heath department. She elucidated the tragedy even to health minister Veena George. Alas, there were no takers for her side of the story and the case was dragged on for a long and even reached the doorsteps of scientific tests. This is quite unusual for a case of this hue to appear in Kerala, and it has now earned all the media glare. The incongruous conduct and the maladroit of government hospitals in Kerala have turned into a topic of disgrace.

Even after learning the appalling truth of the incident, the hospital authorities and the health department are keeping a blind eye to the protest, they are keen to stampede the case from the limelight. It was well evident when the minister offered Harshina Rs 2 lakhs compensation but talked zilch about the doctors. The hospitals behave as if it was all Harshina’s crime that she had to endure five grueling years of pain. The countenance of government officials also reflects the same.

The hospital authorities and the minister should come forefront to admit the mistake and should take proper remedial steps against the doctors. Or if the government is still in the reins of one-upmanship, the protest will burgeon and will paint the state in poor light. Harshina is not backing an inch from the protest and is fixed on her words. The doctors have unknowingly pained Harshina for five years, and now knowingly they are paining her. A disgrace.