Prompt action could have saved my wife-Husband

23 August 2014 01:25 am

At the inquiry by Colombo Additional Magistrate Augusta Atappatu into the death of Dr. P.A Priyanganie while undergoing beautification surgery, her husband said his wife could have been saved if she was promptly treated and the clinic properly equipped with proper equipment and skilled staff.

The husband’s evidence was led by Bambalapitiya Police Inspector Vajira Dhanapala. The witness Gamini Chandrasekera (53) told the Magistrate that he worked at the Ports Authority as an electrical engineer. He said he married Dr. Priyanganie in 1996 and had two children.

The witness said on August 12 he left to work around 7.00 a.m. and around 2.30 p.m. he received a telephone call from his father-in-law that his wife was in trouble and to call Durden’s Hospital.

The witness then a called the emergency unit of Durden’s Hospital and was told that a doctor who was brought to the hospital for treatment was taken back to the medical clinic and to call the medical centre at Vajira Road about what had happened.

He said the clinic was located on the sixth floor and when the witness got there he asked the receptionist about his wife. He was taken to an inner room by the receptionist and was shown his wife’s body.
The witness said the room appeared to have been used as an operating theatre but was ill equipped and not fit for that kind of work.
The witness said he suspects that the death was caused because of the suspect’s gross negligence.

Clinic’s receptionist Mangalie Ganegoda in her evidence said she joined the clinic about one and a half years ago and that she did not have the contact numbers of any nursing home or hospital to call in an emergency. She said when the Dr.Priyanganie fell seriously ill some visitors to the clinic gave the telephone number of Durden’s Hospital.   

Another employee Dulanjalee Madumalie in her evidence said she worked as a nurse but did not have any nursing experience. However, she said she underwent a training course on caring for elderly people at the Ratmalana Kamkaru Sevana. She said she knew how to check the temperature and take the blood pressure.

She said did not have any knowledge of drugs or medicine. She said when Dr. Gamage injected an IV to Dr. Priyanganie’s neck Dr. Priyanganie broke into a severe cough. Thereafter he administered Hydrocortisone and adrenalin.

Counsel Nishada Gamage instructed by Nanda Gunaratne appeared for the defense while Counsel Wasantha Pitigala with Malin Fernando and Pavithra N. Bolapage watched the interest of the victim’s husband. Dr. Nimal Gamage was further remanded till August 25.