TIRUCHY: A third-year nursing student lost her life in the late hours of Friday at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchy, after being given a higher dose of anaesthesia. Several nursing students from KAP Vishwanatham Government Medical College in Tiruchy, where the victim studied, staged a series of protests with the girl's kin, demanding action against the negligence.
S Seethalakshmi (19), daughter of Settu, an agricultural wage worker from Manakudipatti in Pudukkottai, was pursuing her Diploma in Nursing at KAPV Government Medical College. She suffered from nasal polyps, which affected her breathing. Once admitted to the Tiruchy GH, the doctors had suggested a surgery, which was scheduled for Friday.
During the procedure, her heart rate increased soon after she was administered anaesthesia. She was rushed to the recovery room, but she died in the late hours despite the treatment by a team of doctors.
On Saturday, Seethalakshmi's students gathered in front of the Tiruchy GH and staged a protest claiming that the medical negligence had cost her life. They also blocked the traffic, demanding a proper reason for her death. On information, the Tiruchy City police rushed to the spot and held talks with the students.
At the same time, a group of 50 students went to the Tiruchy Collectorate and staged a protest. The police took them back to the GH and continued to hold talks with the protesting students.
Minister for HR&CE and Srirangam MLA S Ramesh, who had arrived to garland the statue of Perumpidugu Mutharaiyar in view of his birth anniversary, rushed and held talks with the protesting students. He also informed them that a special team was formed to probe the case and assured them of action.
More police personnel were deployed as the protesting students proceeded inside the GH campus and continued a sit-in protest, demanding that the stir would continue until the special team arrives.
In the evening, District Collector V Saravanan called on the representatives of the protesting students and held talks with them.
The students demanded that the Collector give them a proper reason behind Seethalakshmi's death and compensation of Rs 30 lakh to her family. They also demanded that the Collector direct the officials of the Nursing department not to take any action against them. They also demanded that the anaesthetist be dismissed. Upon assurance by the collector, they withdrew the protest in the late evening.