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Patient with leg wounds dies of mysterious head injuries during hospital transfer
By Sirangika Lokukaravita
Colombo, Sept. 12 (Daily Mirror) - What began as a routine patient transfer ended in mystery when a person from Baddegama, originally hospitalised for a lower-limb wound, died a few hours later from severe head injuries after being transferred to the Karapitiya Hospital for further treatment.
Upul Tushara Thrikawala (54), a painter and father of two from Meemeduma, Baddegama, was first admitted to the Baddegama Divisional Hospital for treatment of wounds below the knee. Hospital officials said he was fully conscious when he was transferred to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital for further care.
Yet by the time the ambulance reached Karapitiya, Thrikawala was unconscious. He was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit but died while under treatment.
Judicial Medical Officer Dr. H. Maduwanthi Jayasinha, who performed the postmortem examination, found fatal injuries to the head and trauma to several other parts of the body, concluding that the death was the result of an accident rather than the initial leg injury.
Relatives who gave evidence at the inquest before Coroner Chandrasena Lokuge said they did not suspect foul play. Even so, the Coroner directed the Baddegama Police to carry out an investigation based on the postmortem findings.
Ambulance staff later told police that the patient had leapt through the rear door of the moving ambulance near Meepawala, but they had not informed hospital authorities at the time. The Coroner has summoned the crew to record statements today.
Meanwhile, the Southern Province Director of Health Services has ordered a formal inquiry into the incident.
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