Healing touch turns violent?

On November 12, Chamila was found around noon lying unconscious on the path adjoining the Negombo General Hospital building. The suspect is a doctor of the hospital and if found guilty, it would probably be the first time in Sri Lanka, that a doctor had killed his patient within a hospital premises.

Chamila’s identity was not known even several hours after her body was discovered, as she was not an in-house patient nor had she come to see one but had come to attend a clinic. Twenty-two year old Chamila Dissanayake had been admitted to the hospital a few weeks ago to undergo minor surgery. She was in the ward of which the suspect doctor had been in-charge. She had come to attend the clinic on the 3rd floor. The Sunday Times learns that the doctor had reportedly asked her to meet him at his quarters on the 6th floor. The 5th and 6th floors of the hospital are demarcated as doctors’ quarters.

The JMO report is yet to confirm whether the victim had been raped before being killed and whether chloroform had been used to make her unconscious. According to eyewitnesses he had dragged the unconscious body up to a spot reportedly known as the place where people had attempted to take their lives, in an apparent bid to make it look like suicide. There had been several suicide attempts by patients previously from this same spot resulting in two deaths and three badly injured patients.

According to Police when Beatrice, an employee from the private janitor service who was cleaning the floor saw the suspect-doctor dragging a heavy-looking object, she had asked him whether he needed a hand. Probably fearing that Beatrice would identify him, the doctor had dragged the body back to his room and within a few minutes her body was found lying directly below the doctor’s room, on the right side corner of the sixth floor.

She was immediately rushed to the National Hospital, but Chamila, who had suffered severe head and other injuries died on the way and her body was taken to the close by Ragama hospital. Soon, there was suspicion among senior health officials of the hospital regarding the nature of her death. Following the incident the Police had informed the Hospital Director that they would be launching an investigation and searching the two rooms that belonged to the doctor. When police found that one of the rooms was locked the Hospital Director was requested to find the doctor who had the key to that room. The police sealed the room after finding the victim’s belongings and chloroform there.

After Radio and TV stations carried the news of this death, the hospital had received a phone call around 8.30 p.m. from a woman saying that her friend had come to the clinic but had not yet returned. It was then that Chamila’s identity was revealed.

Negombo Hospital Director Dr. Anton A. Tissera said the first report regarding the incident was sent to the Investigation and Flying Squad Unit of the Health Ministry, which is carrying out extensive investigations, as the suspect is an employee of the Government health sector.

“He was an intern of this hospital. We are giving our fullest cooperation to the parties who are investigating the matter and I have issued directives to the hospital officials to make arrangements for the Police and Court officials to carry out investigations,” he said.

He added that in an earlier instance the suspect doctor had reportedly attempted to abuse one of his patients but he had been informed of it some time after the incident as the victim had not complained.

The death led to a protest by Chamila’s colleagues from Smart Shirt Garments in Katana, on Friday. “Is your sister next?” read one of the banners that was carried by her colleagues who demanded an immediate investigation on the death and demanded the protection of the rights of patients. They said many female employees of garment factories are exposed to harassment at hospitals.

Chamila had joined Smart Shirt Garments three and a half years ago to support and educate her young siblings living in a rural village in Monaragala. Kochchikade Police Chief Inspector A.C.S. Karunaratne did not allow the protestors into the hospital premises. Addressing the protesters he said not all doctors were guilty and action would be taken against the suspect-doctor if he was found guilty.

Police Media Spokesperson DIG Jayantha Wickramaratne said evidence showed that this was a well-planned killing. “An eyewitness had seen this particular doctor pulling a heavy object. However we cannot yet prove whether it was the unconscious body of Chamila or not,” he said.

Health Ministry secretary Dr. H.A.P. Kahandaliyanage said although Police and Court investigations are proceeding, the Special Investigation and Flying Squad Unit of the Health Ministry was also conducting an independent investigation and if evidence points to the alleged involvement of the suspect doctor his application for post internship would be cancelled immediately.

“The Establishment Code and the criminal procedure of Sri Lanka would cover all acts of indiscipline and unethical behaviour. We will also report this to the Medical Council,” he said. Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), Secretary Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya said doctors would cooperate fully with the Police and the Judiciary to bring about justice.

“We had made proposals to the Ministry to conduct training programmes for interns and post interns. These proposals also included discipline. Unfortunately not much attention has been given to improving the quality of the health sector but only to expand the quantity of the health sector staff,” he said. The funeral of Chamila took place in Monaragala, her hometown yesterday.