Trincomalee infant death probe leads to two doctors being suspended as Health Ministry, GMOA clash over duty, calls and inquiry process.
The Trincomalee infant death has led to the temporary suspension of two doctors at the Trincomalee District General Hospital after a complaint was made to the Ministry of Health and Media.
Deputy Minister of Health Hansaka Wijemuni told BBC Sinhala Service that the suspensions followed a preliminary disciplinary investigation carried out after the ministry received the complaint.
The two doctors suspended are a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist attached to the Trincomalee District General Hospital and a Senior House Officer at the same hospital.
What Led To The Suspension?
“A mother lost her baby during childbirth. That is what the complaint is about,” the Deputy Minister said, explaining the circumstances that triggered the ministry’s action.
According to the complaint, a junior house officer and an intern who were on duty in the ward had repeatedly informed their seniors, the Visiting Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and the Senior House Officer, that the baby’s condition was critical and had requested them to attend.
“They had made six calls, but the two doctors were unable to come,” Wijemuni said.
He said the investigation revealed that, at the time, both doctors were at another private hospital outside.
The Deputy Minister noted that consultants have the right to visit private hospitals, but stressed that there is a specific procedure that must be followed when doing so.
“When leaving, they must inform the director. The director has a departure register. They must write in that register requesting permission to leave to see a patient in a private hospital. Such permission had not been sought,” he said.
According to Wijemuni, the records appeared to show that the doctors had remained at the hospital, but they had not attended to the emergency.
“Since it appears to be a prima facie case of absence from duty, the investigating team that conducted the preliminary inquiry has recommended temporarily suspending them and conducting a formal investigation,” the Deputy Minister said.
GMOA Questions The Inquiry
The Vice President of the Government Medical Officers’ Association, Specialist Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa, said the team that conducted the preliminary disciplinary inquiry into the incident was flawed.
“When you examine how the preliminary disciplinary inquiry was conducted, the fundamental issue we see is that it was not conducted by individuals with expertise in this field,” he said.
Dr. Epitakaduwa said two regular inquiry officers had arrived and questioned a consultant specialist.
“They have conducted a bedside inquiry. Based on technical matters, it is difficult for individuals without any technical expertise or knowledge, to a certain extent even for doctors, to understand these matters,” he said.
He argued that the preliminary inquiry had been conducted by a group of people who had no proper understanding or idea of such medical issues.
Six Calls And The 18-Minute Window
The GMOA Vice President also responded to the allegation that six phone calls had gone unanswered on the day of the incident.
“Attempts were made to contact the relevant female doctor on six occasions from 8.17 am to 8.35 am,” Dr. Epitakaduwa said.
He added that the relevant consultant specialist was called at 8.38 am and, at that moment, he was reachable.
“The fact that he could not be contacted on six occasions is an incident within a time span of 18 minutes,” he said.
According to the information received so far by the GMOA, another doctor, in addition to the female doctor concerned, was also present in the ward at the time.
Was The Death Linked To A Strike?
Responding to media reports about the incident, Dr. Epitakaduwa said the matter had been reported in a way that suggested it occurred because of a trade union action taken by the GMOA that day.
However, he stressed that strike action never affects emergency treatment or labour wards, as is the practice in several hospitals.
“At the time this mother was in a hospital, she had been admitted for labour. After being admitted for labour, under no circumstances does this mother’s condition become subject to our trade union action,” he said.
“Why? Because we never engage in trade union action inside the labour room,” he added.
Dr. Epitakaduwa said that even if an incident had occurred, there was no link between that incident and the relevant trade union action.
“If someone tries to say that any incident that may have occurred happened because of trade union action, we consider that an attempt to target and defame the Government Medical Officers’ Association,” he said.
Deputy Minister Hansaka Wijemuni also responded to a question from BBC Sinhala Service on whether any connection had been found between the baby’s death and the trade union action taken by doctors that day.
He too said trade union actions do not apply to labour wards.
“No trade union can take trade union action in such matters. That is why whenever a health-related trade union takes trade union action, they usually announce that this will not affect emergency services,” he said.
Wijemuni said the deterioration of the unborn baby’s condition was an emergency. Therefore, whether a strike was taking place or not, the doctors were required to attend at the correct time.
“Therefore, there is no connection between the strike and this,” the Deputy Minister said.
