Kanpur hospital under scanner after boy dies on father’s shoulder, probe ordered

Kanpur district magistrate on Tuesday ordered a probe into the death of a 12-year-old boy, who died on his father’s shoulder as he was denied admission to the city’s biggest hospital, after Uttar Pradesh’s children’s commission took notice of the matter.

Kanpur district magistrate on Tuesday ordered a probe into the death of a 12-year-old boy, who died on his father’s shoulder as he was denied admission to the city’s biggest hospital, after Uttar Pradesh’s children’s commission took notice of the matter.

Sunil Kumar of Kanpur has alleged that his ailing son died after being denied admission in the emergency section and stretcher in a government hospital.(HT Photo)

Nahid Lari Khan, a member of the Uttar Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said DM Kaushal Raj Sharma has told them that the footage of the incident was being scanned and the boy’s father was being located so that he could record his statement with the inquiry panel.

Sharma formed a three-member committee to look into the matter. The team comprising two additional city magistrates (ACM) and additional chief medical officer (ACMO) reached the government-run Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital to carry out its investigation.

“The team will complete its inquiry by late evening. Strict action will be taken against the guilty if medical negligence or denial of a stretcher to the patient is established,” Sharma said.

“We will share the findings with the children’s commission which has sought a report,” he added.

Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical College (GSVM) has also ordered a separate probe into the case and it would submit its findings to the administration late on Tuesday evening. LLR Hospital is associated with GSVM.

The principal of GSVM Medical College, Navneet Kumar, said when the doctors examined him at paediatric emergency, the child was already dead. “He was not admitted to the hospital as per the records,” he said.

He failed to answer as to why the child was not treated at the LLR’s main emergency centre or why he was not shifted to the paediatric emergency ward by the hospital staff.

Kumar said he was looking into the matter and strict action would be taken against the guilty.

On Monday, the hospital’s emergency section refused to admit Sunil Kumar’s son, Ansh, neither did the staff provide the father with any assistance to carry the boy to a children’s medical centre where he was suggested to go.

The boy died on his father’s shoulder when he was dashing on foot to the children’s hospital, 250 metres away.

Ansh was down with high fever since Sunday night. Kumar first went to neighbourhood doctors in Fazalgunj but took his son to LLR as the fever increased gradually.

“I begged doctors at the emergency to examine my son and admit him. They took 30 minutes before telling me to take the kid to the children’s hospital,” he said.

Kumar asked for a stretcher to carry his son, but the request was turned down. By the time he reached the children’s hospital, his son was dead. Doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Kumar had to bundle his son’s body on his shoulder and walk home as no one helped.