In a shocking incident, a man in Bihar was caught on camera carrying his seriously-ill baby in arms with an oxygen cylinder after the hospital authorities reportedly refused him ambulance or stretcher for shifting him to a cardiac hospital.
The incident took place in the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) on Thursday, prompting the health minister to order an investigation into the matter.
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As per report, a man had admitted his baby, who was suffering from severe cardiac ailments to the PMCH on Thursday after his condition turned critical.
However, doctors at the paediatric ward referred the baby to a nearby cardiology department, some 200 meters from the hospital, for electrocardiogram (ECG).
As the man was not provided a stretcher or ambulance despite his request, he was seen carrying the baby fitted with an oxygen mask in arms and walking on foot while other attendants were holding the oxygen cylinder and maintaining a perfect distance so that the oxygen mask doesn’t fall out of baby’s nose.
The incident prominently figured in the Bihar Assembly with the Opposition RJD members raising the issue in the House and seeking explanations from the health minister.
“I have sought an explanation from the head of the department of PMCH’s paediatric department and suitable action will be taken after the probe,” health minister Mangal Pandey told the House.
This is the second such incident in Bihar in the past five days. Earlier this week, a woman had been provided medical aids allegedly by a cleaning staff in torchlight in the Sadar hospital in Saharsa since there was no electricity available there at that time. The woman eventually died on Thursday due to alleged gross negligence.
The victim identified as Rubi Devi, a government school teacher, had gone for morning walk along with her husband in the weekend when they were knocked down by a speeding police van.
While her husband died on the spot, the woman with critical injuries was rushed to the sadar hospital for treatment. But since doctors were not available at that time, she was provided basic medical aids by a cleaning staff.
