Three health workers, including a doctor in charge of the Covid care activties in the Medical college hospital here, have been suspended in connection with the incident relating to infestation of maggots in bedsores of a bedridden positive patient, officials said on Friday. Relatives of the 55-year-old man had filed a complaint with the health minister, KK Shailaja on Sunday alleging maggots were found in the sores of the patient when he was brought home after being discharged last month.
Dr Aruna, who is the coordinator of the Covid activities in the hospital, and two head nurses were suspended following the incident. Protesting against the suspension, doctors and nurses took out marches on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Gazetted Officers Association demanded revocation of the suspension immediately. A departmental inquiry into the incident was on and statements of health workers were being recorded and evidence collected when the three were hastily suspended, the association said.
Since the past seven months health workers in the medical college had been tirelessly working against the COVID-19 pandemic, it added.