Srinagar, Aug 14 (KNO): A 16-month-old child from Bandipora died at Government Children Hospital Bemina here on Friday, with the family alleging that negligence and delays to conduct important diagnostic tests led to the deterioration of the patient’s condition and his death.
Family members of the deceased told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) the child was brought to the hospital around two days before his death after developing a throat-related health problem. They alleged that after an initial examination, the child was administered an injection and prescribed medicines, with the family being told that his condition would improve within a few days.
However, the family claimed that instead of improving, the child's condition continued to deteriorate. They said that when they brought him back to the hospital the following day, similar treatment was provided and they were again advised to take the child back.
The family alleged that the child's condition worsened considerably outside the hospital, with his complexion turning pale, following which he was brought back and admitted for treatment.
The relatives further alleged that after admission, the child was initially given what they described as routine treatment similar to that being administered to other patients, despite his deteriorating condition.
They said that on Friday morning, doctors subsequently advised several investigations, including Echocardiography (ECHO), ECG, Troponin-T and ultrasound (USG).
The family alleged that despite the tests being advised in the morning, the ECHO was conducted only towards the evening, when, according to them, the child's condition had already reached a critical stage while rest weren't done.
“If these investigations were advised in the morning and the facilities were available in the hospital, why were they not conducted on time? Had the tests been done on time, the doctors could perhaps have assessed the seriousness of his condition and taken necessary steps,” the family alleged.
The relatives also alleged that they faced difficulties while trying to get the investigations conducted, claiming that they were asked to move between different floors and were repeatedly sent back on one pretext or another.
They questioned why a critically ill child had to wait for several hours for investigations that had already been advised by doctors.
“What is the use of having such facilities if they are not made available to a critically ill patient when they are actually needed?” the family asked, demanding that the circumstances leading to the child's death be thoroughly examined.
The family has sought a time-bound and impartial investigation into the matter and demanded that responsibility be fixed.
It also urged the hospital administration and higher authorities to examine the treatment records, timings of investigations, doctors' notes and other relevant medical documents to determine whether there was any delay in diagnosis or treatment.
The family said they were not seeking to blame any individual without an inquiry but wanted the circumstances surrounding the death of their child to be investigated so that similar incidents could be prevented in the future.
All attempts to contact Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr Abdul Rasheed Para went in vain as he did not respond to the repeated calls and text messages from KNO—(KNO)