Why delay in removing bullet, asks MyWatch

MyWatch advisor and co-founder questions the Health Ministry for the lack of urgency in treating Sanjeevan.

PETALING JAYA: The advisor and co-founder of anti-crime watchdog MyWatch S Gobi Krishnan today urged the Health Ministry to explain the delay in having a bullet removed from the rib cage of the NGO’s chairman R Sri Sanjeevan who was shot on Saturday.

“Yesterday, I visited him at Tuanku Jaafar Hospital (HTJ), Seremban and I was shocked when Sanjeevan’s father told me that the doctors have yet to remove the bullet,” he told FMT.

“When I checked with the doctor, he said the hospital is planning to transfer Sanjeevan to the Serdang hospital because HTJ does not have a doctor who could perform the operation,” he added.

“When asked why they are still keeping him at HTJ since no doctor could perform the operation, the doctor told me that the hospital is short of ambulance and thus unable to transfer Sanjeevan to the Serdang hospital.

“The doctor also informed that the hospital management will not allow private ambulance to ferry him,” said Gobi.

He added that he was riled by the reply and decided to meet the hospital director.

While at the director’s office, Gobi claimed that he saw on the table a letter of approval signed by the director to transfer Sanjeevan from HTJ to Serdang Hospital.

“When I asked about the letter, they immediately said they will transfer Sanjeevan to the Serdang hospital,” he said.

He added that he was surprised that the hospital was able to, without delay, arrange everything including an ambulance to transfer Sanjeevan to the Serdang hospital.

Gobi also said that he was informed in Serdang Hospital that they were waiting for a specialist from Selayang Hospital to perform the surgery.

“Now, the question is why did HTJ (Seremban) transfer him to Serdang Hospital when there is no doctor who could perform the operation when he should be placed in Selayang Hospital?” he asked.

“Why wasn’t he transferred straight to Selayang Hospital or to the Putrajaya Hospital which is a government specialist hospital?” he asked.

However, a doctor from the Selayang Hospital has since been assigned to perform the operation at the Serdang Hospital.

Treat without delay

“It is already four days. The delay in performing the operation has aggravated Sanjeevan’s condition,” Gobi said, adding that Sanjeevan is suffering from internal bleeding.

Gobi urged the Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam to look into the matter and compel the hospital to treat Sanjeevan without further delay.

“The minister must also conduct an investigation on the delay,” he said.

When contacted later, Sanjeevan’s father P Rama Krishnan said the Serdang hospital staff are monitoring his son closely.

“Once his condition is stabilised, they will perform the operation,” he told FMT in a SMS reply.