Lady doctor who prescribed medicine over the phone has come to court to give reasons for child's death at Durdan's Hospital

Lady doctor who prescribed medicine over the phone has come to court to give reasons for child's death at Durdan's Hospital

A case of a toddler aged two and a half years old passing away at Durdan's Hospital, Colpetty was heard in court yesterday. It was revealed from the complaint that the vaccine injected neglectfully after informing the nurses over the phone without a consultation with the doctor of the ward, this death had taken place.

At a moment when the toddler was warded and was under treatment after contacting a type of fever

when medical treatment of a doctor was warranted, the said lady doctor has issued medical treatment over the phone and even after notifying that the toddler was in a serious condition steps had been taken to administer a vaccine by the name of Rosapin after which the child had died. Inquirer into Sudden Deaths of Colombo Mr. Mohommed Ashraf Rumy has noted a comment that it is not moralistic to issue medical treatment over the phone without any proper examination and that it is a point which should be subjected to serious consideration.

A toddler of two and 11 months old named Didula Senahas resident at Bogahawatta, Veyangoda was the victim in this instance. According to a complaint lodged by the child's father Hashan Ullapathige to Colpetty Police an investigation was carried out in this connection. It is Dr. D.Ruberu who was responsible for having issued this treatment. Explaining her position in this respect in the presence of court what she said was that she was notified over the phone that the deceased child was admitted to the private hospital concerned and that since she was not present in hospital that moment she had designated the necessary instructions to the relevant parties concerned on the information conveyed to her, all of which she admitted. The doctor who accepted the fact that she had prescribed Rosapin 350 mg. be administered to the child the following morning further added that Rosapin is a medicine usually administered and that it is not a strong type of medicine as such.

On further evidence recorded in relation to the death, what the Colombo Assistant Judicial Medical Officer Mr. S. Prathavan said was that it was possible to detect that death has occured as a result of a vaccine that has been administered to the child and the Coroner has returned a verdict of Accidental Death as a result. Investigations were conducted by Jayalath (14004) of Colpetty Police and police constable Lal Pathirana (27689) of Maradana Police and further investigations are underway.