Youth carried his father out of concern, wheel-chairs available: TN Health Minister

Chennai, Sep 11 (PTI) Responding to a viral video clip that showed a youth carrying his elderly father by lifting him as a wheel chair was allegedly not provided at a state-run facility, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Thursday rejected the claim and said the young man carried his father out of concern and that wheelchairs are available.

Speaking to reporters here, Subramanian said the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital is a very big hospital where about 4,000 patients received treatment daily. When the hospital personnel had gone to bring the wheelchair, the patient's son out of concern and anxiety for his father, lifted and carried him.

Further, the minister said: "This was immediately filmed by those who had been around and it was circulated. That video clip appeared in media as well. It was released even without verification... do you think that there will not be vehicles/arrangement in such a big hospital (to transport patients)? This has been converted into big news and I appeal to you to check the veracity of news before publishing." A video that purportedly showed a young man carrying his 84-year-old diabetic father, who could not walk, went viral on social media.

The clip showed the youth carrying his father despite apparently experiencing difficulty, and it attracted criticism from the public.

Following the incident, Hospital Dean M Geethanjali said on Wednesday said two contract workers have been suspended and an inquiry ordered into allegations that contract staff demanded money for providing wheelchair services.

Adequate number of wheelchairs were available in the hospital, she added. PTI VGN VGN ROH