HEMAMALA’S HARD LUCK AT DURDANS HOSPITAL

Professor Dr Harshalal accused of not performing a surgery properly

Daughter was locked inside her hospital room until the bill was settled in full
The other day a case was heard in courts against the private hospital authorities for not allowing a patient to be removed to the Kalubowila   Hospital after an operation which cost a sum of Rs two and a half lacks but had been unsuccessful. They had kept the patients daughter locked up in a room until the bill was settled in full.
The patient who died was a mother named Dayani Hemamala. She had been admitted to remove a growth in her intestines via an operation undertaken by a famous Professor in surgery Dr Harshalal Seneviratna. He had agreed to perform the surgery for a sum of Rs 2 ½ lacks. After it was agreed to pay this sum the operation was performed on 9th April last year. The professor had requested the assistance of a specialist connected with the intestines from the patient’s side, but his assistance had not been received for the operation. The growth had been found outside the intestines. The professor had performed the surgery and after which the patient had been at Durdan’s hospital for a few days.
It is learnt that the condition had worsened after four days. A green colour fluid like substance had started to accumulate in the stomach of the patient. This was brought to the notice of the hospital authorities. They had then got the services of Surgeon Sherifdeen to perform another operation .After the second operation the patient had been transferred to the Intensive care Unit.
Professor Dr Harshalal Seneviratna had told the patients relatives that as he has to visit on a tour of France he would not be able to look into the interest of the patient for a period of 10 days. As her condition was becoming worse the sister of late Dayani had requested permission from the Authorities of the Durdans Hospital to remove her to the Kalubowila Hospital on the 17th of April. Permission in this regard was granted on the 18th April.
The hospital authorities of the Durdans Hospital were more interested in the payment of the bill. The patient had been removed from the ICU and had kept on a trolley in a corridor. The daughter, patient’s sister and her brother in law had inquired what is the reason “ The hospital authorities had told until the bill is settled they cannot release the patient. As an alternative the patient’s daughter had to be kept as a security until the bill was settled in full”. At the time a substantial amount of the bill had been paid and there had been a small amount only due to be paid. As the condition of the patient was becoming worse the brother in law had decided to keep her daughter as security at Durdans hospital and the patient was removed.
After admitting the patient at Kalubowila Hospital the brother in law had withdrawn money to pay the balance due, had come to Durdans and taken back the patients daughter who was kept as a security having kept her locked inside a room.
The patient’s condition had not improved. Her condition had deteriorated and after treating her for a period of four and a half months she had passed away. The husband of the deceased Dayani Hemamala,a resident of Thummodara, Waga,  Upali Gunatillake had lodged a complaint at the kollupitiya that his wife had to suffer and die owing to the complete negligence and careless attitude of Professor Dr Harshalal Seneviratna. The case was taken up for hearing at the Colombo’s magistrate courts  was postponed until the 14th February.