A video capturing a sanitary worker attending to a patient’s wound at a government hospital in Tirupur has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about healthcare protocols. The incident occurred on June 6 at Madathukulam Taluk Government Hospital, where 42-year-old businessman C Angeshwaran sought treatment for a toe injury he sustained while playing cricket.
Despite the presence of medical staff at the hospital, it was a woman sanitary worker who initially attended to Angeshwaran. BJP district general secretary A Vaduganathan, who accompanied him, witnessed the moment the worker began dressing the wound. “When we questioned her, she said she usually dresses patients’ wounds. But when Vaduganathan began recording the video, she left abruptly and said she would bring a nurse,” Angeshwaran told The Times of India.
Shortly after the recording began, a staff nurse and the duty doctor arrived and took over the treatment. However, by then, the video had gone viral, drawing sharp criticism from various quarters.
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PMK Slams Medical Negligence
The video was condemned by PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, who took to X to express his disapproval. “It is not the job of the sanitary worker to dress a wound for a patient,” he stated, dismissing the hospital’s defense that the worker only removed the cloth as “absurd.”
Dr Meera, Joint Director of Health Services in Tirupur, confirmed the sanitary worker had no authority to perform such medical tasks. “An inquiry has been initiated against the duty doctor. Action will be taken after an explanation is sought,” she told TOI.
Vaduganathan further noted that his party had previously petitioned the Tirupur district collector to address staff shortages. “The video shows the reality on the ground,” he said, adding that a protest was held on June 14.