CBI probe sought over deaths in Tamil Nadu hospital

Political parties in Tamil Nadu are demanding an inquiry by the CBI into the death of 14 patients at the MIOT Hospital near here following power failure.

In a statement issued here, PMK leader S. Ramadoss, calling for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, sought the hospital's closure till initial investigation is completed.

He also demanded the arrest of the hospital authorities, citing the arrest of AMRI Hospital officials in Kolkata when a fire killed 90 patients in 2011.

G. Ramakrishnan, Tamil Nadu state secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), demanded legal action against those responsible for the deaths.

Both the leaders said the views of the Tamil Nadu government and the hospital were conflicting.

MIOT Hospital's managing director Prithivi Mohandas told reporters on December 4 that lights and equipment did not work and everything had to be done manually due to the power cut.

He said flood water gushed in and damaged the diesel generators.

The state power utility had cut power in Chennai and suburbs as a safety precaution due to floods.

On the other hand, Tamil Nadu health secretary J. Radhakrishnan said on December 4 that he had noticed 14 bodies of patients who died due to medical reasons in the last few days which were kept in the hospital's mortuary.

Radhakrishnan categorically denied that 14 patients died at MIOT Hospital due to lack of power supply, while blaming the hospital for not having back-up generators for its existing generators.

PMK's Ramadoss wondered why the state health secretary was acting like the hospital's public relations officer even when the hospital authority has agreed that the patients died due to power supply failure.

Ramadoss said the hospital located near the Adyar river has built three basement levels in its new building and wondered how permission was granted for such construction.

According to Ramadoss, hospital doctors and nurses abandoned the patients and ran away when flood waters entered the hospital premises on December 1, which was against medical ethics.