Inquiry on death of Iresha Sandamali who died at Neville Fernando Hospital after surgery in abdomen went wrong

Inquiry on death of Iresha Sandamali who died at Neville Fernando Hospital after surgery in abdomen went wrong

The All Island Medical Officers Association and kith and kin of 35 year old newly-married lady the latter of whom passed away unanticipatedly after an operation at Malabe Neville Fernando Private Hospital have called for an inquiry in this connection. They have complained that the cause of death is the result of negligence of the doctors in the hospital.

The deceased, Iresha Sandamali Jeewandara a resident of Ahugammana, Delgoda had suffered from pains in the bottom of her abdomen after an year of her marriage and had been receiving treatment

initially at a private hospital in Ragama and since the doctor had travelled overseas they had sought treatment at Neville Fernando Private Hospital, Malabe. Having considered all records of the previously stated doctor, a scan examination had been done on her after which the doctors at the Malabe Private Hospital had said that some nodules were observed in the lady's womb region. They had then said that this could be removed by a minor surgery called 'pastine' and be easily treated and had motivated the deceased's husband to go in for the surgery. The lady who had no other ailment had promptly given her consent to the operation and even at the last moment she had been in a jovial mood, getting ready for the operation.

This is what her husband had to say: "What the doctors said was that this was a simple thing. She also was quite o.k. She was taken to the operating theatre on 22nd morning. After about 2 hours the nurses came and said that she was taken to the Intensive Care Unit. Later the doctor came and told that because her heart beat and blood pressure had begun to increase when the operation was half over, she was sent to the ICU. Whatever it is, by about 12.30 that night the doctor at the ICU said that her situation has turned for the better. But at 2 in the morning comes and says 'bad news ... we couldn't save her!' Oh god ... my wife was admitted for a pain in the stomach. What we were told was that only a minor surgery would be done. Ultimately what was given was the dead body".

An Open Verdict has been given over the death at the post-mortem and the manner in which death has taken place is still under investigation. Final rites of the dead body is expected to be finalised today 26th.

The All Island Medical Officers Association charges that the Neville Fernando Hospital utilises the Teaching Hospital of the institute which provides Malabe SAITM private medical degrees and that this patient has died because of the negligence of doctors who were ill-equipped and also bring to memory the case of Kavisha Madhushan who died being afflicted with dengue in the year 2014. Chief Administrator of Neville Fernando Hospital Dr. Bimantha Gunasekera has tendered his apologies in this connection and says that he would bow down to the decision arrived at the report of inquiry to be released next week.