HYDERABAD: A 27-year-old man from Adilabad with deep burns was refused admission in Gandhi Hospital for five days despite entreaties from his mother to the doctors to save his life. Nitish and his mother waited in the corridor outside the garden area of the out-patient department for five days from August 9 till a Good Samaritan got him admitted in a private hospital.
Nitish suffered burns on his chest, neck, hands and abdomen in a fire at his house in July. He was admitted to the Adilabad district hospital, but it could not give him proper treatment. He developed folds in the skin. The neck developed multiple folds and beca-me stiff, as did his hands. Movement was restricted. Wearing clothes also became difficult and he required skin grafting. As the condition worsened, doctors referred him to Gandhi Hos-pital. They reached the hospital on August 9, and spent the next five days on the lawn
Mother’s pleas were ignored
Nitish and his mother arrived in the city on August 9 and went to Gandhi Hospital to get admitted. They were directed to the out-patient department where they were told to wait. K Shakuntala, mother of Nitish said "At the out-patient department there was no doctor to examine him. They merely told us to wait for the plastic surgeon who they said will be available only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I begged them to atleast admit my son and start some treatment could be given. But no one listened to us."
Nitish and his mother spent day and night at the garden area waiting for someone to help. She would frequently check with the staff if a doctor is available to examine her son but received no response. Fortunately, social worker Azhar Maqsusi saw Nitish’s plight and helped him get admitted at a private hospital. When this newspaper sought a response from Superintendent of Gandhi Hospital Dr K.J. Reddy about the incident, he washed hands of the matter: “I am not aware of this case. If such a person was found lying in the corridor, the RMOs are alerted. We treat hundreds of patients in our burns wards everyday who require months of treatment. Nobody is denied treatment. We will inquire into what has gone wrong. Patients referred from Adilabad district hospital usually come with a reference letter. It has to found out if the letter was procured and also if help at the hospital was denied to them.”
