Death in tiger attack exposes weaknesses of Kerala health sector again

The Health Minister said a medical examination report found that Thomas died due to shock caused by excessive bleeding and there was no lapses in treatment

The recent death of a farmer at Wayanad in Kerala in a tiger attack has not only brought to focus the man-animal conflicts prevailing in Kerala, but the weaknesses of the state's much-hyped public health care system.

Family members of Thomas, 50, who died in the tiger attack on January 12, have alleged that delay in getting proper treatment from the Wayanad government medical college hospital caused the death.

This has exposed the lack of even basic facilities at the medical college started in 2021. Health Minister Veena George has now announced that infrastructure at the medical college would be set up soon.

Even as Kerala often boasts of a comprehensive health care system, the weaknesses of medical facilities of the state often get exposed. Kasargod district had literally struggled during a spurt in Covid cases in 2020. Though the medical college under construction for years was then made operational on a war footing basis, even now only the out-patient block is functional. A Covid hospital set-up by Tata group has now become non-functional. Hence the woes of Kasargod, which has a large number of endosulfan affected, over inadequate health care facilities still continues

Thomas of Puthussery in Wayanad suffered serious wounds in the tiger attack. His daughter Sona and other close relatives alleged that Thomas was heavily bleeding even after he was treated at Wayanad medical college. Though he was later referred to the Kozhikode medical college hospital, around 95 kilometres away, there was a delay in providing an ambulance. Ambulance with ICU facility was also not provided, the family alleged.

Health Minister Veena George said on Tuesday that a medical examination report found that Thomas died due to shock caused by excessive bleeding and there was no lapses in treatment.

WHO former technical officer Dr S S Lal said that it was very unfortunate that a medical college hospital even lacked the facilities to prevent excessive bleeding of a patient. The doctors should be aware that excessive blood loss could lead to shock and act accordingly. It is the state government's responsibility to ensure swift transportation facilities for patients, said Lal, who is also Kerala unit president of All India Professional Congress.

Wayanad district panchayat president Shamshad Marakkar said that 'medical college' was there only on the name board of the hospital and there were no efforts to enhance the infrastructure of the hospital.

The Wayanad district hospital was upgraded as a medical college in 2021 February, just ahead of the Assembly election. Hence it was also considered as an election stunt of the CPM government in the state.