Corporator Elumalai dies, family alleges negligence

After suffering from a brief illness following a surgery, V Elumalai, an independent corporator in the BBMP, passed away early on Thursday at 1.30 am.

Elumalai, the councillor from Sagayapuram ward, was admitted to Santhosh Hospital in Frazer Town in mid-November to get a small abscess removed from his nose. However, after undergoing the treatment here, he slipped into a coma, his family members claimed.

Later, he was admitted to Vikram Hospital. But he continued to be in a comatose state for more than two weeks.

A statement by Vikram Hospital said: “Elumalai was admitted to our institution on November 10th in a critical state and has been managed by a multi-disciplinary team. In spite of best possible medical measures, he passed away today at 1.30 am due to irreversible multi-organ dysfunction.”

The councillors had raised the issue of medical negligence by private hospitals at the BBMP's monthly council meeting held in November. The corporators said the private hospitals were becoming 'death centres'.

They also urged mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun to seek the official medical report from the hospital and investigate the issue.

The BBMP had declared a holiday to all BBMP offices on Thursday as a mark of respect to the departed corporator.

It postponed the inauguration of Shantala Boat centre at Yediyur lake, which was scheduled to be launched on Thursday.

The death has left two wards — Sagayapuram and Kaveripura — in the city without corporators. Ramila Umashankar, former deputy Mayor and Kaveripura ward corporator of JD(S) passed away on October 5.

BBMP to approach medical council

Speaking to DH, mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun said the Palike would seek the help of Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) to look into the medical negligence issue.

"With the help of KMC, we can get thorough details of what happened to the corporator and whether action can be initiated against the doctors due to their negligence. The Palike chief health officer with the consent of the BBMP commissioner will approach the KMC immediately," she said.

Dr Nirmala Buggi, chief health officer, clinical, BBMP said, “We have written to the Registrar of Karnataka Medical Council to investigate the issue.”