Kottayam (Kerala), July 3 (PTI): A tragic incident occurred at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam when a section of the facility collapsed on Thursday, resulting in the death of one woman and injuries to at least two others, including a child, according to police reports.
The injured individuals, an 11-year-old girl and a hospital employee, were promptly taken to the casualty department following the collapse.
The deceased woman, identified as Bindu from Thalayolaparambu, was found more than two hours after the incident and was confirmed dead.
Bindu was at the hospital as a bystander for her daughter who was receiving treatment there.
The child, Aleena Vincent from Meenangadi in Wayanad, sustained injuries while standing next to her grandmother, a patient in Ward 10, although her injuries are not considered serious.
Amal Pradeep, a staff member of the hospital's casualty department, was also injured during the evacuation process after being struck by a trolley.
The collapsed area was reportedly part of the bathroom complex in Ward 14, a three-storey block.
While hospital authorities described this section as unused, a bystander woman contradicted this, stating that it had indeed been in use and no warnings were issued not to use the facilities.
In response to the accident, Health Minister Veena George and Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan visited the hospital promptly.
They noted that the damaged section was part of an obsolete toilet area within a block housing three wards.
This statement was challenged by a bystander who insisted that the area was not designated as unused.
The opposition Congress party accused the ministers of minimizing the accident's severity.
Senior Congress leader and Kottayam MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan criticized the officials, suggesting serious negligence as the rescue operation started only two hours after the incident.
Congress representatives also voiced concerns over delays in launching rescue efforts, suggesting that searches commenced in earnest only after inquiries from the victim's relatives.
Fire and police department teams were tasked with clearing and searching the debris.
As a safety measure, approximately 100 patients and their bystanders from Wards 10, 11, and 14 were relocated.
Ministers George and Vasavan confirmed that patients are being moved to a newly constructed surgical block, and the affected ward would be completely closed.
Health Department Additional Chief Secretary Rajan Khobragade was also on-site to manage the situation.
Members of the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), including MP Francis George and MLAs Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and Chandy Oommen, visited the hospital as well.
The BJP has demanded Health Minister Veena George's resignation in light of the fatality.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused the government of risking people's safety and held the minister accountable for ongoing failures within the state’s healthcare framework.
The UDF is advocating for a judicial investigation into the incident, citing significant deficiencies in managing the crisis.
They criticized the delay in commencing rescue operations, asserting that action only began after two hours because of pressure from the victim's relatives.
UDF leaders, who critiqued the ministers for attempting to diminish the incident's seriousness, believe the woman’s life could have possibly been spared with a timely response.
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