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Hungarian tourist sent to Angoda mental hospital by tour operators
Frederica Jansz in Colombo,
9 a.m. SLT Monday January 13 .
A Hungarian tourist, Dr. Katalin Nemes, who while on holiday in Sri Lanka
sought medical treatment for a spinal pain had been sent to the Angoda
Mental hospital instead.
Katalin is teacher by profession at the University of Sote in Budapest -
Hungary. She is a qualified Professor in biochemistry which subject she
lectures in at the University.
Nemes was on an 8 day tour in Sri Lanka together with her husband when on
December 19, 2002, the last night of her stay at Blue Oceanic Hotel in
Negombo, she had developed a severe pain in her spine.
According to Katalin, around 12.30 a.m. she had walked to the reception of
the Blue Oceanic Hotel and asked the male receptionist for medical
assistance. The gentleman at the reception had asked her how much money she
had. Katalin had replied saying that she had only Rs. 1000/=3D (being the
money for the airport tax) and she also had shown him her travel insurance.
The receptionist had then informed her that without money the hotel was not
prepared to bring a doctor to treat her.
Katalin says that her pain was so great it was not possible for her to take
the flight back home which was within a few hours of the incident. Her
husband had then decided to return to Budapest and send immediately to Sri
Lanka sufficient money to receive medical treatment and to return to
Budapest.
Ruwan Samarasinghe, Director of Jet Wing Hotels explained that when the
hotel contacted Katalin's insurance agent they specified that her policy
did not cover mental illness.
Samarasinghe says Katalin had been behaving in a very violent manner at the
hotel, smashing crockery and other items including a dressing table mirror,
which resulted in the staff assuming she was suffering from a psychotic
disorder.
Katalin however claims she stayed in her room at the hotel suffering
terrible pain until her husband got back to Budapest and contacted the
insurance company to send out some money for medical treatment.
Within a few days, Katalin's spouse sent her by 'Western Union' transfer
USD 850/=3D. On Christmas Eve, the Guest Relations Officer of Blue Oceanic
Hotel calling himself Jayantha Strassburger visited Katalin.
Katalin had then paid all her bills including for medication she had
received by this time from a doctor Strassburger had taken her to.
That night her medical condition got worse. Katalin complained of terrible
pain in her spine as well as claimed she suffered from high blood pressure.
On Christmas day, Strassburger, took her to the local private hospital in
Negombo the "Ave Maria." She had been given heavy sedatives and her memory
is still not sure of the exact happenings at the hospital and soon after.
Later she remembers that she had been taken to the National Mental Hospital
at Angoda where she was warded. Katalin had been handed over to the mental
hospital by Jayantha Strassburger who this time around had claimed to be
her guardian. Strassburger had also sold Katalin a mobile phone.
Dr. Vimal de Alwis at the Angoda Mental hospital who had examined Katalin
had stated that she had to stay in the hospital for two days for
observation. She did not get better, her blood pressure was uncontrollable,
so the hospital called back the hotel to find out if any other family
members could be contacted.
Later, Rohan Nanayakkara, the Consulate for Hungary in Sri Lanka together
with a lawyer from the consulate accompanied Katalin's daughter, Monica and
her sister Judit, who had arrived in Sri Lanka by this time, to Angoda to
have Katalin discharged.
At the Angoda Mental hospital Katalin's family found her to have had been
kept in a ward type accommodation, among more than 20 psychotic women. The
section was covered with iron bars similar to that of a prison. Her shoes
and some of the minimum belongings that she had taken with her were stolen.
She had access only to a single toilet, which was none functional and
unhygienic, with urine etc=85 all over the floor. She had been deprived of
toilet tissue, sanitary napkins and at times she had to wear the clothes of
other in-mates. She had been made to sleep close to other in-mates and as
a result her hair was infested with lice. She was deprived of standard
European food.
From the diagnosis sheet of the doctor, it was said that according to his
observations there was no nature or sign of mental disturbance in the lady.
Dr. Vimal de Alwis, Consultant Psychiatrist, at the Angoda Mental Hospital
who attended to Katalin said, "We were observing her but there was no
clear-cut psychotic symptoms to be seen. The most difficult aspect was we
were unable to communicate with Katalin as she spoke very poor English.
Her behaviour however was within normal limits."
A doctor in Colombo later confirmed that Katalin had a serious spinal
complaint which required urgent medical attention.
Katalin's initial holiday package to Sri Lanka had been organized by
Jetwing Travel Company in Hungary with arrangements in Sri Lanka handled by
Jetwing Limited Sri Lanka. She had purchased the tour through her travel
agent, 'Atlas Tourist Company' in Hungary.
Her tour package included flight tickets with Sri Lankan Airlines, which
also had been issued by the Jetwing Travel office in Hungary. She had in
addition purchased insurance through the travel agency.
The Hungarian consulate in Sri Lanka, Rohan Nanayakkara has written letters
of the incident to the Chairman Jetwing Travels and Tours as well as to the
Chairman Ceylon Tourist Board and to the Secretary to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the Hungarian
Embassy in New Delhi.
Published: Sun Jan 12 23:51:17 EST 2003
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