Inquest into deaths of Sachintha Nandula Battagodage and Hemant Chadha who died after repeated visits to Adelaide hospitals

A 23-year-old who was vomiting up blood was told to take panadol, while another man who also died after repeated visits to the ER was told he had the man flu, an inquest has heard.

One of the men who tragically died after repeatedly being turned away by Adelaide hospitals was told to take panadol while the other was told he just had the man flu, a court has heard.

An inquest has heard Sachintha Nandula Battagodage and Hemant Chadha – who had serious symptoms dismissed – would have likely lived if their pleas for help weren’t ignored.

Opening the inquest into Mr Battagodage and Mr Chadha’s deaths on Tuesday, counsel assisting the coroner Emma Roper said the inquest would investigate why the men weren’t admitted to hospital for further investigation and treatment, despite repeated presentations.

Ms Roper said the inquest would also investigate whether the hospitals were adequately equipped to navigate the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic at the time and the cultural backgrounds of the men who were both of non-English speaking backgrounds.

Sachintha Battagodage’s death

The court heard Mr Battagodage, 23, began coughing up blood on November 19, 2020 and travelled to the Royal Adelaide Hospital emergency department.

Ms Roper said a doctor discharged Mr Battagodage and sent him home without taking a blood sample or chest X-ray and advised him to take panadol.

Mr Battagodage returned to the RAH on November 21 after he began vomiting blood and bleeding from his nose.

Another doctor ordered a chest X-ray and blood tests for Mr Battagodage, who was advised that a mass was detected in his chest but there was “nothing nasty on the scans that he needed to worry about”.

Sachintha Nandula Battagodage with wife Yelani Perera. Photo: GoFundMe

Mr Battagodage returned to the RAH again on November 23 with his wife, Yelani Perera after his condition again deteriorated.

“She (Ms Perera) told the nurse that her husband was fearing for his life and had lost too much blood,” Ms Roper said.

The court heard when the nurse returned they were told to follow up with a GP and despite requests for Mr Battagodage to be admitted, they were turned away with being seen.

Mr Battagodage left the hospital and presented to a GP, who referred him for an urgent CT scan.

After the scan was completed at Bensons Radiology in Glenelg Mr Battagodage was told he needed urgent medical intervention.

Sachintha Nandula Battagodage’s death was determined to be likely preventable. Photo: GoFundMe

Mr Battagodage went to the bathroom where he was heard to collapse and despite 40 minutes of resuscitation efforts he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Battagodage’s cause of death at post-mortem was found to be acute haemothorax due to ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the right subclavian artery.

Ms Roper said an expert report opined that if the necessary investigations were performed on November 19 or 21, surgical intervention would have most likely saved Mr Battagodage’s life.

Hemant Chadha’s death

The court heard Mr Chadha, 38, began to experience abdominal pain, a fever and cough in early April 2020.

The father-of-two who moved to Australia with his family for a better life was a disability worker who was previously in great health.

On 17 April 2020, Mr Chadha, who was experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness and vomiting, was taken by ambulance to the Royal Adelaide Emergency Department after his symptoms didn’t improve.

A chest X-ray was performed which reported Mr Chadha was suffering from pneumonia.

He was treated with antibiotics and discharged.

On April 20, an ambulance was called for Mr Chadha after he saw a GP at Hollywood Plaza.

The court heard two ambulance officers arrived and when Mrs Chadha requested a wheelchair one of the ambulance officers responded “How did he get here, did he crawl?”

They transported Mr Chadha to the Lyell McEwin Hospital, where his patient clinical summary documentation included the term “acopia” – a derogatory term used to describe a person who is unable to cope with the activities of daily living.

A further X-ray was ordered and Mr Chadha was discharged after the X-ray showed improvements in his condition.

On April 21, Mrs Chadha called for an ambulance after becoming very concerned about her husband’s condition, with the same officers attending again.

‘The ambulance officers accused her husband of creating drama and “being naughty,” Ms Roper said.

The court heard a neighbour described Mr Chadha’s front leg as dangling and flopping around as if “the strings of a puppet had been let loose”.

Ms Roper said the neighbour was told by one of the ambulance officers that Mr Chadha was faking it.

“And the male officer referred to Mr Chadha as having man flu and being a naughty boy,” Ms Roper said,

The court heard Mr Chadha was taken to the Lyell McEwin Hospital, prescribed anti anxiety medication and discharged, despite his concerns his condition would deteriorate.

Ms Roper said Mr Chadha returned home in tears and told his wife he had been treated badly,

having been told he was “making this all up (and) he should man up”.

In the evening of April 22, Mrs Chadha tried to arrange for a locum to attend but none were available.

The court heard she wanted to call an ambulance but Mr Chadha stopped her from calling one due to his previous bad treatment and they went to sleep.

Mrs Chadha woke at approximately 4:45am and found her husband cold to touch and not breathing.

An ambulance was called and Mr Chadha was pronounced dead at 5.04am.

Mr Chadha’s cause of death was found at post-mortem to be acute on chronic pneumonia.

The court heard if Mr Chadha was admitted to hospital on April 21, it was probable his deterioration would have been detected and intervention probably would have prevented his death.

The inquest evidence

Giving evidence through a translator, Ms Perera told the court that despite her husband showing photographs of the blood to the doctor on the first occasion he was told it wasn’t serious and to take panadol.

Yeleni Perera seen leaving the Coroners Court with a supporter after giving evidence into the death of her husband. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Morgan Sette

When asked why Mr Battagodage didn’t push for further medical intervention she said they were scared and didn't have the confidence as they were new to the country and their English wasn’t very good.

Ms Perera said when they presented to the hospital on the final occasion before Mr Battagodage’s death he was unable to attend the counter himself as he was so weak he couldn’t stand.

She said she was turned away by a nurse who told her they should go to a GP for a CT scan.

“I was almost begging, saying that he’s extremely weak, he’s lost a lot of blood,” she said.

The inquest, before Deputy State Coroner Ian White, continues.