HYDERABAD: The death of a three-and-a-half-year-old boy at Niloufer Hospital following alleged medical negligence on Saturday resulted in the suspension of a ward boy, an outsourced employee, on charges of demanding money from the child’s family.
While initially there were allegations that the ward boy removed the oxygen mask from the child and gave it to another patient which resulted in the boy’s death, Director of Medical Education Dr K. Ramesh Reddy made it clear that it was not the case.
Though the boy’s family reportedly alleged that the ward boy took Rs 100 from a neighbouring patient’s family and moved the oxygen mask from the victim to another patient, they refused to lodge a complaint with the police on this count, deputy commissioner of police, Central zone, P. Viswa Prasad said on Sunday.
According to Dr Ramesh Reddy, the ward boy was suspended on charges of asking for money from the family and not because of removal of the oxygen mask. The incident was investigated thoroughly and the initial allegation that the oxygen mask was removed was proved to be false, he said
The family was updated about the prognosis of the child’s health regularly ever since his admission on October 27, as he suffered from a genetic syndrome that affected his condition severely, Dr Ramesh Reddy explained.
Meanwhile, DCP Viswa Prasad said the police officials were keen on booking a case and probing the matter but the parents refused to give a complaint. “During the preliminary enquiry, our officials learnt that the boy was suffering from a lung ailment and was critically ill. The family refused to give a complaint and just wanted to leave the place,” he said.
MIM legislator Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri, who went to the hospital when the parents of the boy were protesting along with some others about the mistreatment of the child, said according to the family, the doctors were not explaining anything. Even the cops on duty at the hospital refused to help.
“Instead of helping the family, they were keen to drive the protesting family out. We will be writing to the government about the goings on at Niloufer Hospital. Suspension of the ward boy is not enough. Everyone at the hospital, including the doctors, are responsible for the death of the boy,” he claimed.
