CLAIM OF NEGLIGENCE BY KULIYAPITIYA HOSPITAL AFTER FATAL ACCIDENT MEDICAL PERSONNEL: CAREGIVERS THEY WERE NOT
The relatives of the two persons who died in a three wheeler accident at Wihalpola in Kuliyapitiya complained of the hardships they underwent at the Kuliyapitiya Hospital due to the negligence of both hospital employees and the hospital authorities
In this accident, A.M. Seelawathie (90) and her son Sirisena (49) died while Sirisena’s
We don’t understand how the driver [of the Prado] was released so quickly. A police officer was also reluctant to record our complaint. We think it was due to political influence
wife and daughters were severely injured.
Channa Padmasiri, a nephew of Sirisena expressed his disappointment with the way the Kuliyapitiya Hospital staff treated his injured relatives. “They kept the injured in the hospital after applying some simple dressing without sending them to the Colombo National Hospital. The hospital staff told us not to give any food to my cousin, Sunil, who was one of the injured, as he was due to undergo an operation. Later, we were told to keep him without food for a further period as the operation had been arranged for the following morning. This is how the hospital treated a severely injured patient who had a broken leg and severe head injuries,” Channa said.
The relatives had even observed that the private attendant they had hired to look after the patients being used for the other hospital work. At last the frustrated relatives had to take their patients to the Kurunegala Hospital paying Rs.4000 for an ambulance.
Referring to the charges the Medical Superintendent of the Base Hospital, Dr Upul Wijenaike explained the restraints under which the hospital was functioning.“There are 72 vacant positions out of 203 approved cadres of the hospital. The hospital has surgeons but there is no orthopaedic surgeon. We often experience breakdowns in the water supply. Under these circumstances we are compelled to send patients to the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital for urgent surgeries. Due to the shortage of water the sterilisation of medical equipment gets delayed. The vacant posts restrict some auxiliary needs of the hospital such as the trolley services, “Dr Wijenaike explained.
Sirisena’s elder brother commenting on his impressions of the incident itself, said that when they visited the hospital, his brother was in a condition to speak. However, he was surprised and concerned with the quick release of the suspect driver responsible for the fatal accident. “The vehicle was a Prado. We don’t understand how he [ the driver] was released so quickly. Also a police officer had been reluctant to record our complaint. We got the impression it was due to the influence of a politician,” he said.
According to eyewitnesses, the luxury vehicle which was being driven very fast, had crashed into the three-wheeler and dragged it over several metres.
When our team was at Sirisena’s house, we asked his 8year- old daughter, Sashika Parami about her father. “He is dead” was how she replied being unable to understand the gravity of her father’s death. Both Sahika’s legs were injured in the accident and, she was complaining of incessant pain one of the relatives told us.
Sirisena’s other daughter Sanduni Hansika (13) was also injured in the accident.