A premature newborn baby boy died due to respiratory problem, with the family alleging that the death occured as two government hospitals in the national capital denied him treatment.
According to the relatives of the parents of the baby, he was born in a private hospital in Budh Vihar on Sunday noon but the doctors told the parents that the baby has respiratory problem and needs to be kept on ventilator for 48 hours.
As the victim's father, identified as Dheeraj Kumar, a labour by profession, could not afford the cost of treatment at the private hospital, the child was referred to a government hospital.
"The baby was premature and was delivered on Sunday through caesarean at around 12 pm at Muskaan Hospital in Budh Vihar. Till evening, he was fine but suddenly at night doctors told us that he is having respiratory problem and the baby needs to be kept on ventilator.
"Cost of ventilator was Rs 10,000 which his father could not afford. He had already spent Rs 30,000 after the treatment," said Bhuvnesh Sharma, relative of Dheeraj Kumar.
Family dialed 102 number and called CATS ambulance to shift him to a government hospital.
Parents claim that the baby was first taken to Kalawati Saran Children Hospital in central Delhi but the hospital denied admitting and treating him. Hospital told the parents that there was no bed and ventilator available in the hospital.
The kid was then moved to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital but they also denied them giving the same explanation, the parents said.
The baby was finally taken to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) where he was declared dead before he could be given medical treatment.
"Doctors had told us that baby was having respiratory problem so we need to give him oxygen. When we reached LNJP they told us that they do not have portable oxygen cylinder. So after making repeated request to give the treatment... doctors tried to lift the baby from the ambulance to admit in emergency ward.
"As they took him off the oxygen supply which was installed in the CATS ambulance, the baby died. He died due to lax attitude of government hospitals," Sharma alleged.
Reacting on the incident, Delhi Heath Minister Satyendra Jain said, "The baby was taken to Kalawati and RML hospitals. Both the hospitals come under Central government. He was then taken to LJNP where doctors immediately started the treatment but unfortunately baby could not be saved.
Jain clarified that admission was not denied by LNJP. "Admission is done after the treatment. Doctors started treatment of baby in emergency ward. LNJP hospital does not refuse to admit patients.
