#WhatTheHealth: Parents of 9-year-old blame Delhi's Hospital for her death
After the Delhi government cancelled the license of Max Hospital over alleged medical negligence, similar news has surfaced from another hospital in the capital. Gwalior resident Neeraj Garg alleged his nine-year-old daughter Deepa died after contracting an infection at BLK Hospital in Karol Bagh. Even as she fell seriously sick afterwards, doctors kept maintaining it's normal, he said. She eventually died.
Deepa was suffering from CDA Type II
Deepa was brought to BLK hospital as she was suffering from congenital dyserythropoietic anemia. According to TimesNow, doctors at BLK assured the family they are well-equipped to handle the case. On November 11, a bone-marrow transplant was conducted. But in two days, she developed a fever, and then started headaches and breathing issues. Doctors gave medicines, but insisted there was nothing to worry about.
Doctors kept reassuring the family till their child died
On November 23, doctors asked the Gargs to move Deepa to the ICU as a "precautionary measure". They recommended putting her on ventilator too. Meanwhile, they continued maintaining all was normal. Two days later, they declared her dead. Neeraj said doctors had claimed she suddenly developed an infection which spread fast, but "when she was in isolation ward, how did she get an infection?"
They gave no explanation and behaved rudely with the family
Neeraj says when he asked the doctors about the procedure they had performed, "they said they're not able to describe the type of operation." Moreover, when he confronted the hospital authorities about Deepa's death, they responded rudely. In 25 days, he was billed over Rs. 17L.
In the last month, reputed private hospitals have drawn ire
Sometime earlier, Fortis and Medanta made headlines for overcharging patients drastically; families of minor dengue patients were charged Rs. 16L for two-week treatment. In both cases, the children died. In another shocking case, Max declared a living newborn 'dead'; the family noticed movement when it was on its way to bury the child. The Delhi government has cancelled Max's license, but the Delhi Medical Association is threatening protests.
