CHENNAI: After the death of footballer R Priya, the State Health Department readily accepted that the reason was medical negligence. The case is a every publicist’s nightmare certainly, as the already-cynical public has one more reason to be suspicious of government healthcare facilities.

Chief Minister MK Stalin visited the family and assured them of support. Health Minister Ma Subramanian promised that action will be taken against those involved and gave assurance that such negligence could be prevented. Perhaps dissatisfied with the results, the department attempted another way of damage control, which was brought to media attention on Friday.

A girl who fell from the third floor of her house around two years ago, visited the Chief Minister to thank him for his support during her treatment in the presence of health minister and health secretary. The girl had injured both her legs due to multiple fractures.

She has now recovered and visited the secretariat to thank the Chief Minister for the financial help provided for the treatment at Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super-Speciality Hospital in Omandurar.

While Priya’s death is still in court, and also being argued and debated vigorously by the public and also on all social media platforms, the girl’s visit did seem like a poorly orchestrated PR attempt and cannot be dismissed as a coincidence.

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