Agitated residents of New Vaddem gathered on Tuesday to express their discontent with the medical staff at Chicalim Sub District Hospital, following the tragic death of a 6-year-old girl, Vani Khanapur, a resident of New Vaddem. The girl succumbed to dengue fever (NS1) after being admitted to Chicalim sub district hospital on Monday evening.
The situation escalated when residents confronted doctors and hospital staff, accusing them of negligence in the care provided to the patient. Vani Khanapur was transferred to GMC in Bambolim during the early hours of Tuesday after her blood pressure reportedly plummeted. Unfortunately, she passed away at GMC on Tuesday.
The family of the deceased child alleges that the medical staff at Chicalim Sub District Hospital did not address their concerns. The child’s uncle claimed, “We informed the doctors and nurses at around 1 am that her hands and feet were getting cold, but they did not attend to her. They slept and woke up, and only then did they check on her, finding her blood pressure to be low. The decision to refer the child to GMC was made at 6 am.”
Expressing grief and frustration, the uncle criticized the hospital staff, stating, “Who is responsible for the death of this child? These doctors need to be removed from this hospital as they do not care for the poor.”
Locals in New Vaddem have raised serious allegations against the Chicalim Sub District Hospital, claiming that the girl’s death resulted from medical negligence. A resident of Chicalim stated that the girl’s father had previously requested the transfer of his child to GMC, but the action was only taken in the morning.
A local resident raised questions regarding the purpose of the hospital, expressing concern over the tragic death of an eight-year-old girl due to alleged inadequate treatment. “Why was this hospital constructed if an eight-year-old girl could not receive the proper care that could have saved her life? The parents have endured the loss of their child; what is the use of spending so much money on this hospital if patients cannot be saved?” he questioned.
In fact, on Tuesday more dengue patients were left unattended since morning after the locals agitated the doctors took them in for treatment. “With dengue being a high-risk infection, a lady came in at 6 am to get her child checked and, they left her unattended and took her in after people made a noise and this issue has been going on for ages,” said another local.
Locals are demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death. They have called on the health minister, the chief minister, and the local MLA to intervene and address the grievances. Citizens are also requesting increased medical staff and improved facilities at the Chicalim Sub District Hospital.
