Asiri hospital case plaintiff denied room

Sandasen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: Nirmala Manawasinghe said that her husband Prabath Manawasinghe was denied a hospital room although at all other hospitals he was offered a room soon after admission. He had been standing until 2 or 2.30 pm from morning at the hospital.

She made this observation before Colombo District Court Judge Aruna C. Ranasinghe when she was cross examined by President's Counsel Romesh de Silva in a case filed by herself and her children to recover compensation from a hospital claiming that Prabath Manawasinghe died due to medical negligence at the hospital. He died on March 15, 2001.

Plaintiff cited Asiri Hospital and Genito Urinary Specialist Nevil de Silva as defendants. Nirmala Manawasinghe further said he was deprived of meals since 6 p.m. the previous day since he was told that he had to undergo a surgery. "My husband told me that he was undergoing trauma since he had not given a room" Nirmala said. Later around 2 p.m. or 2.30 p.m. he had been given a room.

Romesh de Silva (PC):- Neither you nor your daughters go to see him until 2.30 p.m. but you demand Rs. 20 million as compensation?"

Nirmala:-"He was in good health in the morning when he entered the hospital. He dropped me at office in his car and the daughters as well. He told me that it was not necessary to take a full day's leave. He asked me to take half day off and that is what I did."

President's Counsel Harsha Soza appeared for the plaintiff with Attorney-at-Law Anuradha Dharmaratne instructed by Attorney-at-Law Srihan Samaranayake while President's Counsel Romesh de Silva and Attorney-at-Law De S.L. Gunasekara appeared for the first and second defendants respectively.