Kidney recipient death: A possible ‘coordination failure’ by officials cited in the preliminary report

Health minister Veena George suspended the heads of nephrology and the urology departments of the Thiruvananthapuram medical college following the incident.
Kidney patient

Representative Pic

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KEY HIGHLIGHTS
  • The investigation panel took cognisance of the complaint filed by two rights activists against the urology and nephrology department heads.
  • The hospital has denied any delay in the transportation of the container and any lapse from the side of the medical team.
  • The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) has condemned the government decision to suspend the two senior doctors.
Thiruvananthapuram: After the suspension of the urology and nephrology department heads following the death of a kidney transplant patient named Suresh at the Thiruvananthapuram medical college on Monday, a preliminary report suggests that ‘coordination failure’ could be a reason that could have been caused the tragedy.
Health minister Veena George, who spoke to the media, stated that it is on the basis of the report of the ACS that the two doctors have been suspended and a comprehensive probe into the matter has been ordered.
The minister also stated that the presence of outsiders when the ambulance carrying the kidney arrived at the portico of the medical college was suspicious.
“These people did not know where the operating theatre was and this has caused the confusion. The circumstances that caused these outsiders, and not the hospital authorities, to receive the container will be probed”, said Veena George while speaking to the media.
The family had alleged medical negligence and an inordinate delay by the hospital in carrying out the surgery. 54-year-old Suresh underwent a kidney transplant surgery at the medical college hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, and died early morning on Monday, June 20.
The kidney for Suresh was harvested from a 34-year-old brain dead donor in Ernakulam and was brought to the state capital on Sunday evening via a green corridor.
However, the transplant surgery was delayed for nearly four hours. As per reports, the kidney was brought to the hospital in Thiruvananthapuram at around 5.30 pm on Sunday, but the transplant surgery was allegedly delayed for around four hours, and was performed at around 9 pm.
The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has ordered a probe into the incident and directed the Director of Medical Education to file a detailed report within four weeks.
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