Whither Thy Oath ? 

By Nirmala Kannangara - Pictures by Asoka Fernando-Sunday, February 17, 2013

Little Buddhini, Chamila, the grieving mother and Thilanka Ratnayake, Buddhini’s father, discribing the nightmare

Parents of Buddhini Kaushalya Ratnayake, the five-year-old child who allegedly died inside the MRI scanner at the Nawaloka Hospital, claim that their daughter was dead when she was taken out of the machine. They accused the medical staff of rushing their daughter’s lifeless body to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) to avoid accusations against the hospital over the child’s death.

However Director/General Manager Nawaloka Hospital Prof. Lal Chandrasena refuting allegations said that the child was never put into the MRI machine as she got bouts of fits before the procedure was carried out.
“The child was neither put into the machine nor was the machine started as the child got bout of fits and got a cardiac arrest. Consultants and emergency medical personnel rushed in and were able to resuscitate the child and was taken to the SICU,” said Prof. Chandrasena.

The parents however allege that the doctors who attended on her lifeless body attempted to mislead the grieving family members.
“When the Consultant Anesthetist Dr I. Seneviratne shouted for help after the Ambu- bag (a hand-held device used to provide positive pressure ventilation to a patient who is not breathing or who is breathing inadequately) burst inside the MRI machine room which I heard clearly, I ran to her together with an attendant. Then I saw how my daughter was taken out of the machine by which time she has turned blue and her stomach was bloated like a pregnant woman and both arms and legs were curved. Although Dr Seneviratne shouted for an oxygen cylinder the hospital staff failed to bring a matching mask for my daughter. It was on their fourth attempt, they were able to get a matching oxygen mask for my child. Meanwhile the medical team massaged my daughter’s chest to revive her heart.

Then they rushed the child to the SICU,” said Chamila Ekanayake the grieving mother.
For Buddhini’s parents, it was a rude shock to note as to how their daughter’s Pediatrician allegedly tried to mislead the parents that the child’s condition was improving when another doctor from another hospital who saw the child at SICU said that there is no purpose of having any hopes on the patient.

“This doctor did not at any time cheat us. He was a very straightforward doctor to which kind act we are ever grateful to him. We need doctors of that caliber. Hippocrates Oaths is given to safeguard the patients. This is a good lesson for other parents who have chosen this same doctor as their children’s pediatrician. Had we continued with Prof. Lamabadusuriya without switching on to this doctor, at least he (Prof. Lamabadusuriya) would have stood for justice without being prejudiced,” said the parents.
The parents also alleged the medical staff at the SICU attempted to warm Buddhini’s bed whenever they asked as to why the child’s body was cold.
“The reason given for warming the bed was to maintain the child’s body temperature. What a joke it is to warm the bed to maintain the body temperature. Even on many occasions we showed the SICU medical team how ants were creeping into my daughter’s mouth. The explanation given was that it was due to dextrose that was given to the patient. Have they given dextrose to my child orally or as an injection? This shows that the intensive care units are not properly maintained. There were ants and even mosquitoes at the SICU.

When liquids were flowing out of my child’s mouth, nose and ears they claimed that it is the natural way when brain is damaged. This was the first time I came across such a theory,” said Buddhini’s father, Thilanka Ratnayake. Ratnayake had later decided to take up the matter with the hospital management.

“I met Prof. Lal Chandrasena and Director Harshith Dharmadasa. Since the talks were unproductive I told them that I need Rs.200 million to be given for three charity organization including the Ranaviru Sevana in memory of my daughter. Since they refused my demand I then wanted the hospital to release my child immediately. This triggered the hospital management and by 6.20pm on Wednesday February 6, the medical staff wanted me to give my consent to remove the child from the life support to which I agreed.

Hadn’t I made these demands the hospital would have kept my child further,” said Ratnayake.
Ratnayake further noted that he threatened the hospital not to issue a bill for him as he would chop off the fingers of the officer who prepared the bill.

“They allowed us to remove my child’s body without giving a bill to me,” said the father questioning the rationale for this.