Thiruvananthapuram, March 21 – The deaths of five patients following a fire at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital have sparked a major controversy, with the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V. D. Satheesan, demanding an immediate and transparent investigation on Saturday.
The fire, which broke out in the hospital's multi-specialty ventilator unit earlier this week, was quickly brought under control.
At the time, authorities swiftly moved patients from the intensive care unit to other wards as a precautionary measure.
However, the situation took a serious turn after reports emerged that five patients undergoing treatment had died, triggering widespread concern and political backlash.
The deceased have been identified as Sanish from Neyyattinkara, Krishnankutty from Ayur, auto driver Abdul Rahim, Omana Amma from Chirayinkeezhu, and Sreedharan from Balaramapuram.
Relatives have alleged that the deaths may have been caused by the removal of life support systems during the emergency evacuation.
According to family members, Sanish, who had been recovering from accident-related injuries and had even resumed eating normal food, saw his condition worsen after the fire and died the next day.
Krishnankutty reportedly died on the same day of the incident, with similar claims raised in the other cases.
Amid the growing controversy, hospital authorities have maintained that the deaths were due to other medical conditions and not directly linked to the fire.
Reacting sharply, Satheesan termed the developments “deeply shocking” and said the allegations raised by the victims' families were grave and demanded urgent scrutiny.
He called for a probe by both the Health Department and the police to ascertain the exact cause of the deaths.
The opposition alleges that the Pinarayi government, through its 10 years in power, has dismantled the healthcare sector that once brought pride to the state.
It is also unfortunate that such tragic incidents continue to validate the opposition's claim that "Health Kerala is on a ventilator."
These incidents have left numerous families devastated.
The negligence and mismanagement in the system, as pointed out even by the Health Minister, have caused immense suffering to many.
Satheesan demanded that an immediate investigation be launched by the Health Department and the police into the allegations surrounding the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.