A 62-year-old Kerala man died on Wednesday after three hospitals, including Government Medical College in Kottayam, refused to admit him citing lack of ventilator, alleged his family.
Jacob Thomas, who was suffering from H1N1, was transported to Government Medical College in Kottayam from Kattapana in the Idukki district in an ambulance after his condition worsened.
But he was not admitted by the hospital staff, his family alleged. "We reached the emergency and casualty department of the Kottayam Medical College Hospital. But the PRO told us they cannot admit my father as there was no ventilator available. Despite passionate pleas, not even a doctor came to see him," Reny Jacob, daughter of Thomas told media.
"We then took him to the Cariathas Hospital, which also refused to admit him. We then took him to the Matha Hospital. There also, he was not admitted. As we were left with no option, we sought help from the Kottayam Hospital again. But no one attended my father. He died lying in the ambulance," the family alleged.
According to a Times of India (ToI) report, Medical College authorities said that the patient was first brought to the hospital by 2.23 pm as per CCTV visuals. "Hospital staff informed that there were no ventilators available at that time. By the time doctors came to examine the patient, ambulance had already left at 2.40 pm," RMO Dr Renjin told ToI.
The family of Thomas has filed a complaint of medical negligence with the police.
Meanwhile, state Health Minister KK Shailaja has asked the Directorate of Medical Education to probe into the matter.
"On primary enquiry, it was found that the patient was not admitted in the hospital as there was no ventilator free for him. On knowing this, the family took him to another hospital. This is what the hospital authorities have said, but if there is a contradiction in this from what the family of the deceased is saying, a detailed probe will be conducted," the minister told media in Kochi on Wednesday.