Man bitten by rabies patient moves court

TRICHY: The mother of a 30-year-old man who was bitten by a rabies-affected patient at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) recently has knocked on the doors of the Madras high court Madurai bench seeking compensation from the hospital for negligence.
K Chinnammal, 62, mother of the victim K Arjunan, 30 of Pudukkottai district filed a writ petition before the court seeking a direction to the health secretary, dean of MGMGH, Trichy district collector to provide intensive care treatment, compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to herself and her son besides appealing to the court to order the construct of a strong cell for rabies' patients in MGMGH.
In her petition, Chinnammal said that Arjunan was undergoing treatment at the orthopaedics ward in MGMGH and the lower part of his left leg was to be amputated soon. At this juncture, a rabies-infected patient A Arafath, 28, a mosquito net salesman in the hospital bit him on his left thigh on the night of September 17. Arafath broke open a rickety cell in which he was confined and entered the orthopaedics ward. It may be recalled that Arafath died on September 18.
"He inflicted nail mark injuries on myself and my son and the saliva and blood of the said person fell on us. After my repeated requests with folded hands, he went out of the ward. If I had not prevented him, he would have attacked several innocent immovable inpatients and their attenders," said Chinnammal. The entire episode stigmatised both mother and son and they were unable to get rid of the fear of contracting rabies in the future. "My son and I lost our peace. We have a stigma in our mind that any medical consequences may occur at any point of time in future as the rabies could establish in the human body later," she said.
Following the incident, doctors also postponed the amputation surgery on Arjunan. She further alleged that the hospital administration did not give her son proper treatment and appealed the court to direct the hospital to provide him intensive care treatment.
Chinnammal further asked for a compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the respondents as she was poverty-stricken to meet the expenses towards medical, food and clothing. Moreover, she sought interim compensation of Rs 2 lakh from the respondents.
When the case came up for hearing on Thursday before the court, advocate R Alagumani appeared for the victim after which the judge adjourned the case to October 16.