Denied admission in hospital, 12-year-old UP boy dies on father's shoulder

Kanpur: Deteriorating health facilities at hospitals in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur have been magnified by the death of a 12-year-old boy on his father’s shoulder because he was denied timely access to medical facilities at different hospitals.

The incident took place on August 28 when Ansh, suffering from high fever, was allegedly turned down at the government-run Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital.

The hospital’s emergency section refused to admit Sunil Kumar’s son. They suggested him to take Ansh to a children’s medical centre but did not provide any assistance to carry the boy.

“I begged doctors at the emergency to examine my son and admit him. They took 30 minutes before telling me to take the kid to the children’s hospital. I asked for a stretcher to carry my son, but the request was turned down,” Kumar said.

Sunil finally managed to take Ansh to the Hallet Hospital but the boy died on the way on his father’s shoulder. Doctors declared him dead on arrival. Kumar then took his son’s body on shoulder and walked home.

“My son had high fever...He was studying in class sixth. He was very good at studies. Doctors at the children’s ward told me had I arrived 10 minutes before, my son would have been saved,” the father said carrying his dead son on his shoulder.

A committee led by three doctors has been asked to submit a report on the matter within three days.

Kanpur DM Kaushal Raj Sharma has also ordered an inquiry into the matter and has formed a two-member committee comprising Additional City Magistrate and Additional Chief Medical Officer.

A similar incident happened last week in Odisha. A tribal man, along with his 12-year-old daughter, walked around 10 km carrying his wife's body on his shoulder as he failed to get a vehicle to transport it from a government hospital in the backward district of Kalahandi where she died.