Chennai: Elderly man rescued by corporation found abandoned on Rajiv Gandhi hospital premises
By Express News Service | Published: 23rd March 2018 04:54 AM
Loganathan Baskaran at the government hospital premises on Thursday | Express
CHENNAI: A man aged 60, who was not in a position to walk and was rescued by a policeman and handed over to Greater Chennai Corporation nearly a week ago, was allegedly found abandoned on the premises of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment, on Thursday morning.
He was found in the backyard of the hospital premises, unable to move due to his condition without proper clothing and care. On Thursday evening, he was shifted to an NGO, according to corporation staff.
The elderly man, recently featured in a widely shared social media post, where a traffic head constable Anthony Franklin on March 15, who was on duty, noticed him lying naked and bought a lungi and some snacks for him to eat. The police personnel’s gesture went viral online and men from the night shelters run by corporation recovered the elderly man in an 108 ambulance and admitted him in the government hospital on March 16.
Later, when the shelter authorities enquired about the missing man, they were allegedly told that he had absconded and it was not their concern to check.
“The old man spoke only Telugu. He told us his name was Loganathan Baskaran and he could barely remember his age,” said a corporation shelter staff, preferring anonymity.
He said the elderly man was admitted in the male ward number 134 on March 16, provided with identity proof of the corporation staff himself. Another corporation shelter in-charge was placed as an attender in the hospital to take care of Loganathan.
“We meet Loganathan twice everyday and also gave a formal complaint at the nearby police station to identify the man. For the first two days when we met they checked his blood pressure, and sugar level. Everything was found to be normal, but he cannot walk without someone’s help,” the corporation staff added.
On Wednesday night, when two men from the night shelter reached the hospital, they found the bed occupied by someone else and enquired a nurse who said the elderly man had absconded.
“I asked her as to how a man who cannot walk abscond from the hospital. She replied it was none of their concern and that we should have an attender. I reminded her that the attender was present in the afternoon. She did not seem to consider that, but was very careless in her talk and told us to go and search for the man,” the corporation staff said.
Meanwhile, the corporation staff searched the area, but they could not spot Loganathan.
“On Thursday, we got a message that an old man was lying on the hospital premises, but on the rear side of the hospital. We rushed to the spot and found Loganathan there,” he added.
“A man in-charge of housekeeping took the man with the help of some others and kept him in the backside of the hospital,” said a woman whose husband was admitted in the hospital. “Neither the duty doctor nor the housekeeping in-charge seemed to respond properly. They also did not give any health report,” said the corporation staff Jayanthi, hospital Dean, told Express, “We don’t leave patients just like that, but on their request we either try to contact their families or reach out to some NGO who will take care of them.
But after the St Joseph’s hospice controversy, we are acting little careful. Since he was better after the treatment, the workers would have tried to move him to give the bed for the more deserving”. She also added that she will look into the issue and will help the elderly if he needs more attention.
“We spoke to an NGO which is willing to take care of Loganathan. He was shifted to the NGO on Thursday,” said the corporation staff.
By Express News Service | Published: 23rd March 2018 04:54 AM
Loganathan Baskaran at the government hospital premises on Thursday | Express
CHENNAI: A man aged 60, who was not in a position to walk and was rescued by a policeman and handed over to Greater Chennai Corporation nearly a week ago, was allegedly found abandoned on the premises of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment, on Thursday morning.
He was found in the backyard of the hospital premises, unable to move due to his condition without proper clothing and care. On Thursday evening, he was shifted to an NGO, according to corporation staff.
The elderly man, recently featured in a widely shared social media post, where a traffic head constable Anthony Franklin on March 15, who was on duty, noticed him lying naked and bought a lungi and some snacks for him to eat. The police personnel’s gesture went viral online and men from the night shelters run by corporation recovered the elderly man in an 108 ambulance and admitted him in the government hospital on March 16.
Later, when the shelter authorities enquired about the missing man, they were allegedly told that he had absconded and it was not their concern to check.
“The old man spoke only Telugu. He told us his name was Loganathan Baskaran and he could barely remember his age,” said a corporation shelter staff, preferring anonymity.
He said the elderly man was admitted in the male ward number 134 on March 16, provided with identity proof of the corporation staff himself. Another corporation shelter in-charge was placed as an attender in the hospital to take care of Loganathan.
“We meet Loganathan twice everyday and also gave a formal complaint at the nearby police station to identify the man. For the first two days when we met they checked his blood pressure, and sugar level. Everything was found to be normal, but he cannot walk without someone’s help,” the corporation staff added.
On Wednesday night, when two men from the night shelter reached the hospital, they found the bed occupied by someone else and enquired a nurse who said the elderly man had absconded.
“I asked her as to how a man who cannot walk abscond from the hospital. She replied it was none of their concern and that we should have an attender. I reminded her that the attender was present in the afternoon. She did not seem to consider that, but was very careless in her talk and told us to go and search for the man,” the corporation staff said.
Meanwhile, the corporation staff searched the area, but they could not spot Loganathan.
“On Thursday, we got a message that an old man was lying on the hospital premises, but on the rear side of the hospital. We rushed to the spot and found Loganathan there,” he added.
“A man in-charge of housekeeping took the man with the help of some others and kept him in the backside of the hospital,” said a woman whose husband was admitted in the hospital. “Neither the duty doctor nor the housekeeping in-charge seemed to respond properly. They also did not give any health report,” said the corporation staff Jayanthi, hospital Dean, told Express, “We don’t leave patients just like that, but on their request we either try to contact their families or reach out to some NGO who will take care of them.
But after the St Joseph’s hospice controversy, we are acting little careful. Since he was better after the treatment, the workers would have tried to move him to give the bed for the more deserving”. She also added that she will look into the issue and will help the elderly if he needs more attention.
“We spoke to an NGO which is willing to take care of Loganathan. He was shifted to the NGO on Thursday,” said the corporation staff.
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