Port Blair, July 09, 2024:
In a tragic turn of events, a 21-year-old woman, V. Vimala, died at GB Pant Hospital on the afternoon of July 6, 2024. Vimala, a resident of Dairyfarm, was brought to the hospital by her family on Saturday morning, suffering from fever.
According to her family, Vimala had been experiencing severe symptoms and needed urgent medical attention. However, upon arrival at GB Pant Hospital around 8:30 AM, they were informed that all beds were full and were asked to wait outside the casualty ward. After hour of wait out side the room and After multiple requests and pleas from the family, based on the patient’s condition, she was eventually admitted to the casualty ward and given an injection. Shortly thereafter, Vimala’s condition worsened—she developed breathing problems, started vomiting blood, and lost consciousness. By 2:15 PM, the hospital staff declared her dead, attributing her death to Andaman Fever.
Vimala’s family, shocked by the sudden turn of events, alleged that her death resulted from the hospital staff’s negligence and delay in treatment. They claimed that Vimala was stable when they arrived at the hospital and that her condition deteriorated due to the lack of immediate medical attention.
In response to her death, family members and a large group of Telugu community members and fishermen began protesting at the hospital, demanding accountability from the hospital authorities. The protest swelled the next day, with political leaders, social workers, and the fishermen community blocking the entrance to GB Pant Hospital, calling for action against the staff involved in Vimala’s treatment.
Director ANIIMS, Director Health Services, and the Medical Superintendent met with representatives, including three councillors, Fishermen Association leaders, and members of the Joint Action Forum of the Fishermen Community. The protesters demanded a special committee to investigate the case, including a Telugu community doctor, and requested that the post-mortem be conducted by INHS Dhanvantari Hospital.
Subsequently, the hospital authorities announced a committee comprising Dr. U Jagdish (Associate Professor and Head of Forensic Medicine), Dr. Ashwin Mallae (Assistant Professor of Forensic Medicine), Dr. Jaya Biswas (Chief Medical Officer NFSG), and Dr. Navnath Dighe (External Expert from INHS Dhanvantari). The post-mortem was conducted by officials from INHS Dhanvantari Hospital on Sunday morning, with the final report expected in three days.
In light of these events, the fishermen community has planned a one-day strike on July 10, 2024, to press for swift action and justice for Vimala’s family. This evening, the Fishermen Welfare Association Andaman and Nicobar Islands is organizing a peaceful dharna to protest for legal justice for Vimala. B. Hema Raju, General Secretary, urged all the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to come together for a large gathering to protest the incident and showcase their strength, demanding proper justice for Vimala and her family.
On July 10, 2024, the post-mortem report may be handed over to the family. At the time of issuing the post-mortem report, the community is expected to gather at GB Pant Hospital premises at 9:00 AM to fight against the injustice and ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future, pushing for the responsible doctors and nurses to be held accountable.