Civil society in Mannar has called upon the Sri Lankan authorities to expedite a swift investigation into the untimely death of a 27-year-old pregnant woman who bled to death, adding that most investigations in the North-East have been swept under the carpet with no accountability and arrests.
President of Mannar District Public Organizations V.S. Sivakaran held a media briefing in Mannar where the husband of the deceased woman also took part. They collectively called for justice and the doctors who were negligent of the patient to be taken to book.
“We have been calling the hospital daily,” he said. “Much of the investigation is complete and the authorities who acted with careless neglect should be apprehended. In the past, such investigations have led to nothing since none of their findings are implemented.”
Sivakaran also mentioned another incident in Kilinochchi where another woman died during a hysterectomy. Another incident was reported in Vavuniya where a young child had to have her arm amputated from the elbow due to medical negligence. “Despite the many investigations, no action has been taken till today. In the Mannar hospital, 56 doctors are from outstations, only five are from Mannar. We ask the Sri Lankan authorities to fill in vacancies.”
Meanwhile, the former Medical Superintendent of Chavakachcheri Base Hospital Dr. Archchuna Ramanathan, who caused an uproar at the hospital when he refused to vacate his position to make way for a new superintendent, was arrested earlier this week for allegedly assaulting several doctors at the Mannar Base Hospital.
He was arrested based on a complaint made by a few doctors that he attempted to assault them and enter the hospital premises forcibly.
