Kerala: Government admits to doctor lapses in the death of Shamna Tasneem

Kochi: The state government has admitted to lapse on the part of the doctors six months after the death of MBBS student Shamna Tasneem at Government Medical College, Kalamassery, due to alleged medical negligence.

The admittance of the government came in the form of an affidavit submitted by the Joint Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department before the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

The affidavit also mentions having sought a report from the Department of Home regarding the alleged lapse on the part of the police in the investigation in the Shamna Tasneem death case.

It has also been revealed that the government is in the process of taking action against the earlier suspended first year resident doctor, Bino Jose, for the government found him to have been negligent in the case of Shamna.

Jose's suspension has been demanded by a team constituted under Joint Director of Medical Education from the Director of the Department.

The government is reported to have suspended Jills George, Head, Department of General Medicine, despite the inquiry being pending. The suspension was done based on the report submitted by a team of officials. However, both alleged negligent doctors were reinstated before the completion of the inquiry.

Shamna's father, KA Abootty, had filed a complaint to the authorities claiming that Dr Liza John's Postmortem report of Ms. Tasneem was not submitted to the apex medical board. The father demanded that his daughter's case be heard by the apex body.

The government has informed the commission that Abotty's complaint be heard by the Director Health Department. The apex body took up the matter three weeks ago, at a meeting. It is believed that the health department has taken action on all the complaints in a time bound manner. A fact revealed by the government to the commission.

Abooty however, approached the commission again on Saturday, complaining of his daughter's body having been shown disrespect to.

Ms. Tasneem died of a cardiac arrest, due to an alleged administration of injection on July 18. Her father alleges that his daughter's body was shown disrespect to, hurting their rituals and faith.He complained on his daughter having died at 3.445 pm on July 18 and the body shifted to Rajagiri Hospital at 6pm under the facade of better treatment.

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