Shamna's parents seek compensation from state

KOCHI: The parents of Shamna Tasneem — the second year MBBS student who died at the Government Medical College, Ernakulam after being given an injection — has asked the state government to give them compensation. The parents sought a fair sum, but did not quantify it. Shamna's parents and relatives — who met police officers in charge of the case as well as the medical college principal on Tuesday — asserted that medical negligence had led to her death.
K A Abootty and other relatives of Shamna said that her life could have been saved if medical college authorities were a bit more vigilant.
"We still believe that it is a case of medical negligence. Her life could have been saved if the hospital authorities provided proper care on time. Her demise is a loss not only for our family but for the entire village. She would have served a village after completing her course," said Abootty
"We also want authorities to ensure that no one should have the misfortune that befell my daughter. They should take necessary steps to avoid such cases in future," he said.
Meanwhile, Alappuzha Medical College submitted Shamna's autopsy report to the police. "The report filed by Alappuzha medical college on Monday is inconclusive. They have stated in the report that a final report can be issued only after getting virology and haematology test results," said CI S Jayakrishnan of Kalamassery police station. He added that the police are yet to initiate steps to constitute a medical board to probe the allegation of medical negligence.
Earlier, students of the medical college too had sought a compensation for the victim's family from the government. They had also placed an additional request, to name the proposed super specialty bloc of the medical college after Shamna. The students too had alleged that the delay in shifting Shamna to ICU was the reason for her death.
On July 18, Shamna Tasneem (22) died at a private hospital near Aluva due to cardiac arrest. Shamna was given an injection at the Government Medical College, Ernakulam after which she developed medical complications, following which she was shifted to the private hospital. The girl from Sivapuram in Kannur was a second-year MBBS student.