[Death of Dialysis Patients in 2021] A Judicial Inquiry Finally Opened
The Curepipe court officially opened a judicial inquiry on April 29, 2025, regarding the deaths of eleven dialysis patients during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. The investigation, overseen by magistrate Shavina Jugnauth and initiated by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Me Rashid Ahmine, aims to uncover the circumstances surrounding these fatalities which occurred between March and April 2021.
The first hearings, scheduled for May 23, 2025, will involve sixteen witnesses, primarily relatives of the victims. Senior Assistant DPP, Me Jean Michel Ah Sen, indicated that additional witnesses may be summoned later.
A Failing Crisis Management
The deceased patients were transferred to various facilities during the health crisis: ENT Hospital, New Souillac Hospital, Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, and the Tamassa Hotel, which was temporarily converted into a quarantine center.
A report by the Fact-Finding Committee, published in December 2024, reveals serious shortcomings in patient care:
- Inadequate transport mixing Covid-positive and negative patients
- Drastic reduction in dialysis time
- Lack of proper medical supervision
- Insufficient hygiene conditions
- Inappropriate nutrition
Accounts from the victims' relatives describe rushed transfers without prior information or accompaniment. Some patients allegedly traveled for hours without food before being placed in their rooms.
An Overwhelmed Hospital System
The New Souillac Hospital, used as an isolation center, was clearly not equipped to simultaneously handle Covid patients and those requiring dialysis. Access to medication was problematic, and the recently assigned staff lacked specific training for dialysis patient care.
Two patients were found dead in their rooms without prior monitoring. Of the 89 dialysis patients, 40 tested positive for Covid-19, suggesting contamination facilitated by the conditions of transport and accommodation.
Political Responsibilities at Stake
The report highlights serious negligence in crisis management, even suggesting possible criminal negligence. The former government under Pravind Jugnauth and its Health Minister, Kailesh Jagutpal, are implicated for ignoring alerts and delaying the publication of reports.
The judicial inquiry will need to pinpoint responsibilities before the DPP decides on the next steps in this case, which the current government promises will not go unpunished.