The Kozhikode native, who had a pair of arterial forceps discovered from her abdomen years after she performed a cesarean section at the Government Medical College here in 2017, on Sunday described Health Minister Veena George as a “failure” and said justice had not been done in her case.
Harshina, a resident of Manakadavu near Panthirankavu, told reporters that the Health Minister’s claim that her problems had been resolved was not true and that she had to hold multiple protests to get compensation.
Harshina underwent a caesarean section in 2017 at Kozhikode Medical College, after which she suffered from constant pain.
In 2022, during an X-ray at a private hospital, an artery forceps was detected. It was later removed through surgery in the same year.
She was speaking to the media after a similar case was reported recently where an arterial forceps was found inside the abdomen of Usha Joseph from Punnapra, who underwent surgery to remove a uterine fibroid at Alappuzha Medical College in May 2021.
“The Health Department did not acknowledge the doctors’ mistake despite submitting all medical reports. Realizing that we would not get justice from the Health Department, we started a protest in front of the Kozhikode Medical College in February 2023,” she said.
She said that after the formation of the Action Council, the family filed a complaint with the police in March 2023, describing it as a case of medical negligence that put their lives in danger.
“It was only after that that the Health Minister intervened,” Harshena said. “Despite her claim that the Health Ministry had handed over the medical reports to the police, a case was registered and an investigation was conducted only based on our complaint.”
She also said that the Minister of Health later visited her and promised compensation and legal action against those responsible.
“After the assurance given by the Health Minister, we took her words. She promised to address our concerns within 15 days. But even after months passed without any action, we announced a new protest,” she said.
According to Harshina, the government decided to approve the protest after announcing the renewal of the protest $2 lakh in compensation.
“Recently, the Minister of Health claimed that my problem had been addressed. What was offered? Despite everything I had to endure and the pain I still suffer, $2 lakh has been given,” she said.
She claimed that no action was taken against the doctors and other medical staff concerned.
“As Minister of Health, she is a complete failure. There is no politics in this. If justice had been served in my case, I would not be sitting down to protest now,” she said.
Harshena said that despite numerous internal investigations conducted by the Health Ministry, it was the police who discovered lapses on the part of the medical college authorities and filed a chargesheet in the case.
She asked, “What action was taken against the perpetrators even after the police filed the indictment? The minister did not utter a word after that.”
She also alleged that there was a delay in granting prosecution punishment against the doctors in the police case.
She said: “When I announced that I would organize a protest in front of the General Secretariat, the prosecution’s punishment was issued. Whatever action was taken in my case was due to the various protests that took place with the support of the Labor Council.”
Harshena said she will continue her protest until those responsible are punished.
This article was generated from an automated news feed without any modifications to the text.
