Open verdict on 21-year-old girl’s death

By L.B.Seneratne

The Kandy Acting Magistrate Mahinda Liyanage recorded an open verdict on the death of the 21-year-old woman Madushika Jayaratne who died at the Peradeniya Hospital in ward 07 after being administered an injection.

The acting magistrate ordered the Police to record the statement of the nurse who administered the injection  and also that of the Medical Officer of the ward. 

The deceased was brought into the Peradeniya Hospital around 9 am according to the mother of the deceased, Maya Indrani and then removed to ward no: 07 around 12 noon.

The mother and Father Y.P. Jayaratne were in the ward when the injections were administered and the time when the patient ran into the toilet after the second injection was given to her, and she said she was uncomfortable with her eyes smarting.

Mr Jayaratne said that the deceased was admitted to the emergency ward and with a saline drip she was taken to ward seven, which the parents following her.

At the ward a nursing sister had then given an injection and as the deceased was still claiming her hands were numb after the injection another injection was given by the nurse, without any Medical prescription the parents said adding that her body turned blue, and she was crying in pain.

She ran into the toilet saying that her eyes were smarting and went and bent her head on the wash basin in the toilet.  Y.R. Jayaratne said that his wife Maya ran with the deceased, and he shouted saying "Save My Child "

Immediately a number of nurses, knowing the situation, came running and lifted the deceased and put her on a bed and commenced massaging her chest.  But, by that time, he found that the deceased had collapsed and was dead.