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Harshina Malayil Kulangara, a survivor of medical negligence from Kozhikode, was offered a government job by the newly elected Congress-led UDF government, fulfilling their promise made to her earlier as an Opposition party.
On Monday, May 25, 34-year-old Harshina met state Health Minister K Muraleedharan who handed over the appointment letter for the post of office assistant in the Gynaecology department at Government Medical College Hospital Kozhikode–the same hospital responsible for the neglect. She is expected to officially join duty on Tuesday.
“I met the Health Minister and received the appointment order immediately. I felt so happy and I am at peace now,” Harshina told the media.
She said that Chief Minister VD Satheesan has assured further support and compensation. “I met the Chief Minister, who always took a stand supporting me when he was a leader of the Opposition. He assured the government would give compensation and financial support for my further treatments,” she added. According to reports, the government has also promised to fund her house repairs.
The 34-year-old had suffered years of pain after doctors at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital left a pair of surgical scissors inside her abdomen during a Caesarean section in 2017. Due to this, Harshina faced persistent health complications and chronic pain. A medical scan in 2022 revealed the foreign object in her stomach, which was later removed through another surgery.
Subsequently, Harshina filed a police complaint on March 1, 2023, leading to an FIR against two doctors and two nurses. Although the previous Kerala government later announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh, she declined the offer, saying the multiple surgeries had left her physically and emotionally traumatised for life.
