Another boy dies of dengue, as hospitals turn him away

A week after a child died of dengue in the capital, a six-year-old boy has met a similar fate with his family blaming four hospitals for denying him admission that finally led to the child's death on Sunday night.

Aman, 6, died at the Holy Family Hospital in the capital where he was taken in a critical condition on Sunday night. His family claimed he was denied admission by four hospitals before being admitted in the fifth hospital.

"My son had fever and we took him to Safdarjung Hospital. But we were told by the hospital that the boy was healthy and that there was no problem," Aman's father Manoj Sharma said.

"We first took him to Godrej Memorial Hospital, then to Safdarjung, Jeevan hospital, Moolchand and again to Safdarjung," he added.

Later that night, when Aman's condition deteriorated, he was taken to Jeevan Nursing Home, Sharma said. He added that since the child's condition was bad, the hospital authorities said they did not have the required equipment to treat him.

He said the boy was then taken to Moolchand and to Max hospitals. But there also he was denied admission, as both the hospitals said there were no beds available for the young patient.

Finally, after losing two crucial hours, Aman was rushed to Holy Family Hospital where he died after some time.

The Safdarjung Hospital in a statement said the parents had taken the child away on their own after medicines were prescribed to him.

"The patient Aman came to our hospital on September 13 (Sunday) at 4.44 a.m. and was admitted to the hospital. We came to know from his parents that he was given two units of platelets," the Safdarjung statement said.

"The patient was sent to ward 18 and after investigations medicines were prescribed. His parents took him away at 5.30 a.m. without informing the hospital. We are thoroughly investigating the matter," the statement added.

The authorities at the Holy Family said Aman was suffering from dengue and was brought in a critical condition.

"His (Aman) platelet count had dipped, so we had to transfuse blood platelets into him, but it was too late and we could not save him. He was kept in the paediatric intensive care unit but died in the evening," said Holy Family Hospital's director Father Rev George.

A week ago, Avinash Rout, 7, died of dengue in the national capital due to the apathy of hospital authorities. Following his death, his parents committed suicide by jumping from the fourth floor of the building they lived in.

Rout too was allegedly denied admission by five hospitals -- Moolchand Hospital, Aakash Hospital, Saket City Hospital, Max Hospital (Saket) and Irene Hospital (Kalkaji).

The data released by the three civic corporations - North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North DMC), South DMC and East DMC - on Monday said that till September 12, the number of deaths due to dengue was five and the total dengue cases reported in the city were 1,872.