Suspension revoked; ortho unit chief, nurses to face action

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The health department on Tuesday revoked the suspension of a senior doctor and two head nurses, who were suspended in connection with the maggot infestation incident at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. The department, however, initiated disciplinary action against orthopaedic unit chief Dr Sunil Kumar K S besides the supervisory head nurses, staff nurses and nursing assistants who had been on duty for three days before the incident. The government also warned the RMO and officers of the Covid Cell to be more vigilant and pro-active to ensure proper patient care.

The suspensions were revoked after massive protests by doctors and nurses alike. Covid nodal officer Dr Aruna and head nurses Leena Thanjan and Rajani K V were placed under suspension after maggots were found in the wound of a patient discharged after treatment. Following the suspension, doctors had started an indefinite strike. The doctors’ body called off the strike on Monday after Health Minister K K Shailaja assured them that the suspension would be reconsidered.

In his order on Tuesday, health secretary Rajan Khobragade said the three employees were reinstated in service with immediate effect. Since Dr Aruna comes last in the order of responsibility in the incident and since the patient has become Covid negative, there won’t be any disciplinary action against her. She was cautioned to be more vigilant in future.

As the patient belonged to the orthopaedics department, the primary responsibility lies with the nursing staff and the respective unit of the department of orthopaedics. The ortho unit should have provided sufficient care to the patient. Disciplinary action should be initiated against orthopaedics department unit chief Dr Sunil Kumar K S, who was responsible to ensure proper care to the patient.The health secretary, in his order, further asked the director of medical education to initiate disciplinary action against supervisory head nurses and nursing staff, including staff nurses and nursing assistants, who were on duty for the last three days before the incident occurred.

Going by the investigation report by the DME, there was negligence on the part of nursing staff and failure on the part of the supervisory officers. Also the vicarious liability falls on other supervisory officers. Providing maximum patient care with the available resources has been compromised at the hospital.The investigation found that the staffers in the ward and their supervisory officers were equally responsible for the lapses. The nursing staff on duty for the last three days could have taken care of a patient, especially those with paralysis. Hence they cannot be exonerated from the lapses. Similarly, the supervisory nursing staff  were equally responsible for not providing proper care to a paralysis patient.

The incident, though an isolated one, had generated negative image of the institution and health administration as a whole. It has overshadowed the huge efforts taken by the health care workers during eight months of Covid pandemic, observed the government. The patient, Anil Kumar, had been under treatment in the medical college after a major injury when he got infected from the hospital itself. 

While he was in the Covid ward, the orthopaedics department that had put a collar on his neck failed to check it regularly and identify any issues. Later, sores were found to be infested with maggots following which the family filed a complaint with Health Minister K K Shailaja.
said that said Dr Suresh Babu.

What the health secy order read
The three officers were reinstated to service with immediate effect. Since Dr Aruna comes last in the order of responsibility in the incident and since the patient has become Covid negative, there won’t be any disciplinary action against her. She was cautioned to be more vigilant in future.