KOCHI: The residents of Minicoy are agitated over the death of Gabrige Muhammed, 68, on Friday due to heart attack before he was airlifted to Kochi from the island. They say that both medical and administrative negligence led to his death. “Muhammed was in the ICU of the government hospital, Minicoy, for three days up to Friday and he was rushed to the helipad around 10.30 a.m. on Friday in an ambulance on information that the Navy helicopter was coming to airlift him to Kochi for better treatment,” said Mr Kalumangothi Muhammed, CPM Minicoy secretary and a relative of the deceased.
“However, the helicopter reached around 1 p.m. only and by that time his condition deteriorated and he suffered a heart attack at the helipad. The ambulance did not have facilities for life support as in the ICU, including oxygen mask. In fact, it needs just 10 minutes to reach the helipad by road from the hospital but the patient was unnecessarily rushed so early because of which he suffered a heart attack and died,” said Mr Muhammed.
“I told the doctors that the issue will be seriously taken up and the administration is also at fault. In earlier cases also, patients were rushed early to the helipad which is unnecessary as they can be taken to the helipad after the helicopter arrives. The time for refuelling at the helipad only is needed to rush the patient from the hospital. However, the reason always cited is that the pilot will create scenes if the patient is not ready when it arrives,” said Mr Muhammed.
A senior official of the Lakshadweep administration in Kochi did not know to which hospital the two patients from Kiltan Island in Lakshadweep were taken when he was asked about it by DC on Friday. Mr Mohammed said that once monsoon starts, ships from Minicoy first go to Kochi and from there only they can go to Kavaratti, where the top brass of the administration, including the medical director, sits. “This takes many days. The incinerator at the Minicoy hospital is damaged,” he said. The telemedicine system is not functioning. The internet connection is very slow. There are four doctors and enough medicine in the hospital,” he said.
