Government takes note of 3-yr-old boy's death at hospital due to negligence

Hyderabad: Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundarajan has taken a serious view on Sunday’s death of a three-and-a-half-year-old boy at Niloufer Hospital following which serious allegations were levelled against the hospital staff of corruption and negligence resulting in the child’s death.

On Monday, the Governor, currently in Puducherry where she also holds the position of Lt. Governor, is learnt to have described the incident as “ghastly”, and something that “should not recur”. She has sought serious action against all those involved in the goings-on at Niloufer Hospital, and has asked for an inquiry into the boy’s death.

It may be recalled that on Sunday, the family of the boy levelled serious allegations that a ward boy at the hospital, took Rs 100 as a bribe from attendants of another patient, and removed the oxygen mask from the three-and-a-half-year-old, and fixed it to another patient. The family alleged that this resulted in their boy’s death.

Though hospital superintendent Dr Muralikrishna had said that the ward boy, whose services were outsourced, was immediately suspended, and the director of medical education Dr K. Ramesh Reddy denied any wrongdoing with respect to the boy’s treatment at the hospital, on Monday, a protest by junior doctors at Niloufer raised more questions on how the hospital was being run.

The junior doctors went on a lightning protest and demanded action against outsourced workers, who the medics said, were in the habit of fleecing patients, and patient attendants which in turn was resulting in doctors being held accountable for such actions. It is learnt that Dr Muralikrishna urged the junior doctors not to launch an immediate strike and sought three days to “sort” the matters out. The strike threat by the junior doctors at the hospital and the serious corruption charges they levelled against outsourced employees that nothing gets done unless cash is paid as bribes by patient families, lent further credence to the sorry state of affairs at Telangana state’s premier government-run children’s hospital.

Reactions

If the person is really involved in such heinous act, than he should be hanged till death, no exemption for such people to live in the society. the Government of Telangana which always sets examples during such mean acts. I am sure this time also the justice is delivered to the victim and set an example.  - Arun Dev, Industrialist

Though the bribe is small, yet the fault is great. When the links of the life are broken and the child has to part, there is nothing that would ever heal a parent's broken heart. Punishment is just not enough. Don't understand where human thinking is going. There is nothing that can justify the ward boy and Niloufer Hospital's deed. Severe punishment should be given to the person and strict action should be taken against the hospital. - Vaishali Ojha, businesswoman

One emotion that I feel is ANGER. Not sure if this actually happened but if it is true, this act is nothing but culpable homicide and the person must be booked and brought to justice. The hospital too cannot relinquish responsibility and administrative action for involuntary manslaughter must be invoked on them too. If it has happened once, there may have been past instances too. Shell shocked. - Wing Commander, B Srikanth

It is my opinion that the hospital should be held responsible along with the person who did it. They should have assessed the needs of every patient before taking them in. Also, time to re-evaluate the medical system for losing lives on such a trivial matter of a bribe of Rs 100. - Dr. David Tarun, Medical Officer, Rims Ongole.

Really shocking that the state of affairs in government hospitals is so terrible even in 2021. Highly unfortunate it has happened. B Shashank, Entrepreneur, Serilingampally

My heart goes out to the family of the child. After all the chaos in hospitals last year during the lockdown, we need to put a check on these issues. Else, we are heading nowhere. - Alekhya, Student, Naraynguda