Health ministry probes negligence claims pinned on Tree Top

The Ministry of Health has launched a probe into claims of negligence pinned against Tree Top Hospital.

This comes at a time of public outcry against the hospital, located in the capital’s suburban extension Hulhumalé, with social media being flooded by several complaints regarding their medical services.

Some of the cases of negligence the public noted include a case of a Cancer Stage 4 patient succumbing due to negligence in providing adequate treatment, a case of a patient who had complications after an abdominal surgery as well as many others.

Responding to the rise in these cases, the Ministry of Health revealed that this has come to their attention and that they are being investigated.

The ministry went on to reveal that they had officially received a case on October 17 and that probes are underway into that case as well.

Ministry officials had held a meeting Tree Top officials on October 15 to discuss these issues.

The ministry had also held a meeting with a family that has been staging protests outside the hospital after the death of a family member.

Stressing that it would take days to look into such serious allegations, the ministry is to have assured them that the probe will be conducted thoroughly.

Services and internal reviews at Tree Top Hospital are also being looked into and it has been found that quality care audits have not been conducted since its inception.

Tree Top Hospital, which offers tertiary-level services, has been targeted with complaints of delays in services, lack of proper medical care and patient neglect since its inception.

With the cost of the services also being very high, the public has been taking to social media saying that it did not match the quality of treatment.

A family has been staging protests outside hospital every day since Sunday, and the hospital recently issued a statement noting that it will investigate the matter in consultation with the authorities, once a formal complaint is filed.

Claiming that the hospital’s negligence has led to the loss of many lives, the family has since revealed that they have lodged a complaint to authorities, officially.

Protestors have explained that they do not expect justice despite the hospital’s assurance that they will look into the case, and has taken the matter up with the health ministry.