Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)
Puttur, May 23: The team of experts appointed by the health department to look into the death of Poovakka Rai (69) from Bollimbala in Panaje village in the taluk conducted a sitting at Panaje primary health centre for receiving public petitions. During this process, the team was shocked to find something strange.
It was revealed that declaration forms giving assent for conducting angioplasty procedure on Poovakka Rai, after which she was discharged but died a few days thereafter, were found to have been signed by Poovakka's husband, the late Kittanna Rai. Strangely, Poovakka's husband died nine months back, and the question of his signing these forms does not arise.
A number of people had been picked for further procedures related to heart-related ailments identified during the check-up camp under Vajpayee Arogyashree Health Scheme organized at Panaje primary health centre by doctors from a private hospital in Mangaluru.
The children of Poovakka said they have come to know about the above fake signature after members raised this topic at the meeting of district level experts committee held recently at Mangaluru. They questioned the committee as to how could their father, who was not alive at the time, come and sign the forms. They also expressed their deep anguish at the undue delay in the submission of postmortem report in case of their mother.
A person named Hasainar said that during the above check-up camp, the doctors had said that his wife, Rukhiya, was suffering from heart problems. He however, said that after his wife was taken to Mangaluru, surgery procedure was carried on him instead of his wife. He said that the hospital staff had retained his family's ration card, and he was forced to go to the hospital as he was told that his family will not get any ration unless they undergo treatment.
Another person, Mammunhi, said that his daughter, Haseena, who has since died, was healthy before she was identified with health problem and taken to hospital. Sundari said that a portion of the needle had remained inside her hand after the treatment, and therefore, she has not been able to work since then. 'The hospital recovered Rs 1,700 in the guise of cost of medicines. I demand justice,' said Sundari, who also underwent angioplasty procedure at Mangaluru. Kalyani Rai said that the hospital had demanded payment of Rs 15,000 to treat her husband.
Some who were treated said that their health was checked and they were treated without obtaining any consent of family members. Some said that demand for money was made, while some others said they were treated without checking their health.
The committee obtained written statements from the aggrieved who were picked during the health check-up camp and treated at Mangaluru. It also held consultation with district health officer and taluk health officer.
President of the committee, Dr Girish, cardiologist, Rangaraj Ramalinga, Dr Shivakumara Swamy deputy director, Dr S R B Naik, Dr H S Prasad, Dr Kolarandamath, people's representative, A Hemanath Shetty, former president of Puttur block Congress, Shahul Hameed, Babu Rai, Raviprasad, and others were present.