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Row over 'forced' discharge of accident-victim from GH

By Saptarshi Bhattacharya

CHENNAI Aug. 1. The ``forced'' discharge of a road-accident victim from the plastic surgery ward of the Government General Hospital even before the completion of his treatment, has created a controversy at this apex referral hospital.

Venkatesan, a teacher in Veltech Engineering College, who was abruptly discharged from the hospital, is currently undergoing treatment for an injured arm at a private nursing home near Red Hills, close to his residence.

A road accident on July 24 left him with an injury on his right arm which was bone deep. A surgery was performed for him the same evening. On the following day, a fresh dressing was done. But on Saturday (July 27), he was suddenly discharged from Ward 48 by a doctor on duty, without citing any reason.

``A department doctor suddenly discharged him at around 1-30 p.m. and left. The hospital staff did not give us his contact numbers. The Dean was not available and the ARMO on duty did little to help, even though we begged with all. The wound was still painful and he could not even get up. When we failed to receive a positive response from anybody at the GH, we had to take him away at 11 p.m.,'' said V.Ganesan, a close relative of Mr. Venkatesan.

On Wednesday (July 31), he underwent another surgery and many small pieces of glass were removed from his injured hand, Mr. Ganesan said.

What added to the confusion was that the doctor who operated on Mr. Venkatesan did not turn up for duty on July 27. Mr. Ganesan said that when the discharge certificate was given, the patient's mother, in her sixties, was by his side. It was only after his son came to see him later in the afternoon did all other relatives get the news of his departure from the hospital.

``As though fate had also turned its back on us, the lift of the building was out of order and he had to be helped down the stairs of four floors in the excruciating pain,'' Mr. Ganesan added.

When contacted, a senior official at GH said no record of complaint was available, and the family could approach the Dean if they had a grievance.

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