Even as the controversy over the tragic death of an accident victim, Murugan, due to refusal on the part of private hospitals to admit him rages, an incident that happened four years ago came alive once again at the Sankar Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) here on Wednesday.
The latter incident is a classic case of medical ethics that saved the life of an orphaned 5-year-old girl hailing from a poor family. The girl, Rohini, was the victim of a suicide pact by her parents due to penury. With their two children, the parents jumped in front of a speeding train at Karunagapally early in the morning on June 8, 2013.
While her parents and younger sister died on the spot, Rohini was hit by the train and thrown off the tracks. She sustained serious skull depression fracture, multiple fractures on legs, and trauma. An autorickshaw driver who happened to be there found the girl alive but unconscious. He rushed her in his autorickshaw to the Karunagapally taluk hospital but was referred to the district hospital.
The autorickshaw driver, whose identity is still not known, took the girl 28 km away to Kollam but she was referred to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. The man sensing that the girl will not survive the journey took her to SIMS where paediatric surgeon N. Surendran was on duty.
Though there was no relative accompanying the child or any guarantee of payment, the child was admitted and the chairman of the hospital Vellappally Natesan was informed about it. Mr. Natesan instructed the hospital to take care of the child. Rohini’s maternal grandmother arrived three days later and the child gained consciousness a week later.
Apart from free treatment, the expense for their food was also met by the hospital staff. The staff also collected an amount of ₹30,000 and put it as fixed deposit in Rohini’s name which she could avail herself on attaining 18 years. She was discharged almost two months later.
On Wednesday, Dr. Surendran, on learning about the Murugan incident, requested the girl and her grandmother to come to SIMS just to show to the world the positive side of practising medical ethics. Rohini who was a UKG student at the time of the accident is now in Class 4 at a school at Karunagapally. She has also acted in the film Ulkazhcha.