Daily Times

Sir: On June 26, 2012, Rida Memon, a student of second year MBBS from Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro (LUMHS) was stung by a deadly snake when she was sleeping in her room at Zeb-un-Nisa Hostel, LUMHS. On feeling the stinging sensation, she woke up and screamed for help. Her roommate and Rida’s sister, Dr Nahal who was a house officer took Rida to the LUMHS Hospital, Jamshoro. As they reached the hospital, Rida was treated by medical officers (PGs) instead of any senior doctor. The medical officers could not understand the case and carelessly concluded that Rida was stung by some kind of insect, and that there was nothing to worry about.

After being given a kind of first aid medicine, i.e. anti-allergic, ringlet drip, Rida along with Dr Nahal returned to the hostel. After reaching the hostel, Rida complained to her sister that she was not feeling well. Dr Nahal was told by the hostel girls that they found a snake in Rida’s room, which they had killed. Dr Nahal immediately called the hostel caretaker (who is a female professor at LUMHS) and briefed her about the situation. The hostel caretaker decided to take Rida to the hospital again. She discussed the condition with medical officers who refused to treat Rida saying that they did not have any kind of anti-snake bite venom available at that time. She and Rida’s sister decided to take her to Isra hospital, Hyderabad. As they reached Isra Hospital, the medical staff refused to take the case saying that they did not have the anti-snake bite venom available either.
The hostel caretaker discussed the situation with the higher authorities of the LUMHS and then took Rida to Civil Hospital, Hyderabad, where she was admitted and immediate treatment was given to her.
At the same time, an announcement was made by the director of academics in the college that Rida needed approximately 30 pints of blood, as her plasma was to be replaced by fresh plasma because snake venom carried a Hemtoxin that had caused severe decrease of coagulating factors in her blood. Her batchmates immediately gathered to help her. We all reached the blood bank of Civil Hospital Hyderabad and donated blood. On that day, Rida responded with a smile to the students who visited her in the medicine ward of the Civil Hospital. Rida was shifted to the Aga Khan Hospital, Karachi, on the same day because her parents were not satisfied with the way their daughter was being treated.
However, on June 29, 2012 at 4:30 am, Rida Memon died. As I got this message, I just closed my eyes and prayed that may Allah rest her soul in peace.
This was the story of Rida Memon of second year MBBS who is no more with us. The purpose of disclosing the whole story is to tell people and the higher authorities that the death of Rida must not be justified as a predestined incident. Unavailability of anti-snake bite venom at LUMHS Hospital, Jamshoro cannot be justified; unavailability of a senior doctor in time cannot be justified either; and finally, the presence of a snake in the room cannot be justified as an incident. It all happened due to the careless attitude of the LUMHS administration. If one could observe the current condition of the student hostels of LUMHS, one would find most of the rooms with broken windows/doors, and windows without mesh net. Every time when we take any problem to the officials, they just give us justifications but not the solution. If we complain for not having showers in washrooms we get answers like “You have buckets, use them.” If we on the one hand are facing so many problems at our hostels then on the other hand in Al-Tibri Hostel, LUMHS (foreigners’ hostel), foreign students enjoy a safe and adequate standard of living. Even their hostel gardens are maintained, while we are provided with unhygienic and cheapest food at the mess. Why is this discrimination being done?
We hold the administration of the LUMHS responsible for the death of Rida Memon.
The LUMHS has been awarded with the ISO certification and ISRA University was declared the second university in the 2012 HEC ranking. I believe that the efforts the university made to attain such rewards were superficial, time bound and for a purpose.
NIRDOSH ODHANO
Jamshoro