Seafarer's health not attended to during voyage; Lies critical in M'lore hospital

Mangalore, June 13: In one of the rooms of the city's Colaco Hospital, Purushottam Nayar and Jalaja Kumari from Cochin are found sitting wearing a worrisome look, courtesy the critical condition of their son Arun P Nair, a seafarer who fell ill during his voyage. Currently, he lies unconscious in the ICU of the city's hospital.

According to Mr. Arun's relative Sunil, he joined the voyage in the ship 'M T Pratibha Cauvery' from Kolkata on May 31. Mr. Arun fell ill during the course of the journey and although his health condition was deteriorating, he was not paid attention to, his family members grouse.

Speaking to Coastaldigest.com, Mr. and Mrs. Nair alleged that ship's captain had not paid attention to the deteriorating health of their 21 year old son while on voyage.

The primary grouse of Mr. Arun's relatives is that he could have been dropped in Cochin, his hometown. “The ship was on its way from Chennai to Cochin when we received a call from his colleagues that he is ill. His colleagues had requested the ship captain to drop him at Cochin but the ship captain did not pay heed. He did not even inform the shipping company. When we called up the shipping company back then, they said they have no information. Arun was ill for the past ten days and could not eat and drink properly. Considering his deteriorating health condition, the ship authorities could have taken early action but they delayed things without giving him proper medical attention and today his condition has worsened”, says Ms. Baby, the sea farer's aunt.

The young seafarer was holding the rank D/GRSR (Oiler) in the ship. He has a contract with the Pratibha Shipping Company, Mumbai. He had left to Mumbai three months ago and later on was sent to Calcutta by his company where he joined the voyage.

Mr. Arun was in a pitiable state when he was dropped at Mangalore, say his relatives. “There was neither a single drop of water in his body, nor urine. He was so weak that he could not talk to his parents who received him at the Mangalore Port. They had not even arranged an ambulance for him and he could not sit in the car”, says Ms. Baby.

Mr. Arun was admitted to the city's hospital on Monday noon. He continues to lie unconscious and is reportedly suffering from the life threatening Septicemia infection besides Typhoid and ulcers in the throat.