A 41-year-old COVID patient getting treated at Karaikal Government General Hospital in Tamil Nadu suffered injuries on his head after pieces of the ceiling fell on him on Sunday, September 27.
‘I was fast asleep when pieces of the ceiling fell on me. I waKaraikals shocked and so were everyone in the room. On knowing this, few nurses rushed to attend me,’ The New Indian Express quoted V Ganeshbabu as saying.
He was later shifted by health service officials to another building.
‘It is not possible to shift the entire ward at the moment. We had accommodated COVID patients only after checking the stability of the building with the PWD officials. When we brought the issue to their notice, they said that the portion of plaster might have remained less visible in the ceiling,’ said P Chithra, Chief Medical Superintendent of the hospital.
Doctors have said that the patient’s health condition is stable and he only required dressing for his injury.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism around the condition and poor maintenance of the hospital.
‘We had demanded not to set up a COVID ward in that old building months ago. Toilets were not usable, the building was in dilapidated condition and lacked basic amenities. But, the health services accommodated COVID patients in it due to heavy inflow of patients,’ A Vengadesh, General Secretary of Karai Sirgagugal Iyakkam.
‘Now, it is proven that the building can endanger people’s lives. At least now, the officials should learn a lesson and make sure such incidents do not happen in the future,’ he added.
