On Tuesday, the health department withdrew the suspension of a senior doctor and two head nurses, who were suspended related to the maggot infestation incident at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. However, the department initiated disciplinary action against orthopaedic unit chief Dr Sunil Kumar K S along with the supervisory head nurses, staff nurses and nursing assistants who were on duty for 3 days before the incident. The government has warned the resident medical officer (RMO) and officers of the COVID Cell to be more alert and proactive to guarantee proper patient care.

The suspensions of the medical staff had been revoked due to massive protests by doctors and nurses. Dr Aruna, a COVID nodal officer and head nurses Leena Thanjan and Rajani K V were suspended after maggots were found in the wound of a patient who was discharged after treatment. After the suspension, doctors started an indefinite strike. On Monday, the doctors’ body called off the strike after Health Minister K K Shailaja had assured them that they would reconsider the suspension.

In his order, health secretary Rajan Khobragade said that the three employees had returned to service with immediate effect. Dr Arunais last in the order of responsibility for this incident and the patient has become COVID negative, so no disciplinary action against her. However, she was warned to be more cautious in future.

The patient was treated in the orthopaedics department and the primary responsibility is on the nursing staff and the respective unit of the orthopaedics department. The ortho unit should have provided satisfactory care to the patient. Disciplinary action should be started against orthopaedics department unit chief Dr Sunil Kumar K S, who is responsible to safeguard proper care to the patient. The health secretary, in his order, has asked the director of medical education to take disciplinary action against supervisory head nurses and nursing staff along with nursing assistants, who were on duty for the last 3 days before the occurrence of the incident.

As per the investigation report by the DME, negligence on the part of nursing staff and failure on the part of the supervisory officers was observed. Also, the indirect liability is on the other supervisory officers. Offering maximum patient care with the existing resources is compromised at the hospital.The investigation has found that the staffers in the ward with their supervisory officers are equally responsible for these lapses. The nursing staff on duty could have taken care of a patient, especially with paralysis and cannot be forgiven from the lapses. Also, the supervisory nursing staff are equally responsible for not giving proper care to a paralysis patient.

This incident has createda negative image of the institution and health administration in total. It has also over shadowed the huge efforts that are taken by the healthcare workers in the eight months of COVID pandemic.

The patient, named Anil Kumar was under treatment in the medical college after a major injury and he got infected from the hospital itself. As he was in the COVID ward, the orthopaedics department put a collar on his neck and failed to check it regularly and detect any issues. Afterwards, sores were found to be infested with maggots due to which the family filed a complaint with Health Minister K K Shailaja.

Source: The New Indian Express