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Manipal
Hospital ICU ransacked in Nepal
Saturday November 13, 2010 03:46:44 PM,
IANS
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Kathmandu: The Manipal
Teaching Hospital run by India's Manipal Group in Nepal stopped
all but emergency services for a day after vandals attacked its
intensive care unit (ICU), injuring even some of the patients
undergoing treatment there.
"We resumed services today after a meeting at the police station
and were assured of security," B.M. Nagpal, dean at the Manipal
College of Medical Sciences that runs the 700-bed hospital, told IANS Saturday.
"Though we don't say doctors and hospitals are infallible, surely
there's a way of registering complaints instead of attacking
doctors, destroying valuable equipment and even causing injuries
to seriously ill patients."
The official said a small group of people strode into the ICU
Thursday evening and started breaking the glass and destroying
equipment after a patient, referred to another hospital for
emergency treatment, died on the way.
A 43-year-old man had been admitted to the hospital in Pokhara
city earlier this week after he incurred a head injury.
"He had brain haemorrhage and needed immediate surgery," Nagpal
said. "As we did not have a neurosurgeon, we advised his family to
take him immediately to Kathmandu. We asked them to fly him to the
capital but they chose to take him by road, which meant a nearly
six-hour journey."
Nagpal said though it was not the hospital's responsibility to
provide oxygen cylinders, which should have been provided by the
ambulance, the doctor on duty gave two cylinders and instructed
the patient's family how to use it.
However, he said they had notched up the flow of the life-giving
gas and the cylinders became empty, causing the death of the
patient on the way to Kathmandu.
Following the death, the hospital came under attack, forcing it to
suspend most services Friday.
Following protracted political instability in Nepal and a growing
culture of impunity, hospitals and doctors have been coming
regularly under attack by patients' families and friends.
About a week ago, another hospital in Pokhara, the Charak, was
shut down in protest for three days after it came under a similar
attack.
The Manipal itself has had more than its fair share of trouble. It
was attacked after a patient wandered off from her ward and last
year suffered militant demands by trade unions belonging to the
ruling parties as well as the opposition Maoists.
A joint venture between India's Manipal Group and the government
of Nepal, Manipal's expansion plans in Nepal have been put on hold
due to the continuing turmoil.
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