‘Negligence’ at Baddi Civil Hospital: 4-yr-old dies waiting for treatment

A four-year-old child lost his life due to alleged medical negligence at Baddi Civil Hospital last night. The child, suffering from a severe cough for two days, was rushed to the hospital by his father, Bipan Kumar, around 2:45 am. However, the doctor on night duty reportedly refused to examine him, opting to rest instead.

Bipan Kumar, a resident of Jharmajri in Baddi and originally from Salooni, Chamba, claimed that after arriving in an ambulance, he completed the prescription formalities and approached the doctor. To his shock, the doctor, allegedly sleeping under a quilt, dismissed his concerns, stating that the child had already taken medicine from a chemist and was under sedation. He was advised to let the child rest and return in the morning.

Desperate and helpless, Bipan sat on a chair inside the hospital, hoping for his child’s condition to improve. However, when the child turned unconscious, he frantically searched for transportation to rush him to PGI Chandigarh. A taxi driver, Rakesh Kumar, came to his aid and covered the distance in just 25 minutes. Unfortunately, doctors at PGI declared the child dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, Senior Medical Officer Dr Mahavir Chauhan defended the doctor, stating that he himself suffers from an ankle injury and examined the child in the duty room. He maintained that the child was under sedation due to the medicine and hence advised rest. Bipan Kumar has accused the hospital administration of negligence and demanded strict action against the doctor.