VASCO: In a tragic incident, a six-year-ol girl from New Vaddem died of suspected dengue on Tuesday morning, leading to family members confronting the doctors alleging medical negligence.
Soon after the news of the victim succumbing to dengue at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Bambolim, reached the New Vaddem, the peeved residents along with their ward councillor Sudesh Bhosle went to the Sub-District Hospital, Chicalim, and confronted the doctors and the staff alleging medical negligence by them.
The residents also filed a police complaint demanding a thorough investigation into the incident besides appealing to Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to look into the case and give justice to the family.
According to the family members, the girl was admitted to the Sub-District Hospital, Chicalim, on Monday and that the doctors on duty were briefed that the patient was having pain but nobody took it seriously.
The girl’s uncle said that they kept calling the doctors, who attended to their calls only at 6 am on Tuesday when they realised that the blood pressure of the patient was dropping.
The doctors then referred her to the GMCH early morning and when they reached the GMCH, the doctors there told them that they should have brought her a little earlier and that it was too late now. The minor succumbed to dreaded dengue at GMC at around 9 am on Tuesday.
Krishna Naik from New Vaddem said, “The child had high fever and probably was a case of dengue but neither did the doctors admit her nor treat her. It was after we agitated that the girl was taken inside the hospital to avoid public backlash,” he said demanding that the authorities should investigate the death case and also inquire into the behaviour of the doctors, nurses and staff of the Sub-District Hospital.
Ward councillor Sudesh Bhosle remarked that there is no point in having a hospital if there is shortage of staff. He demanded that the government should sanction more staff to the Sub-District Hospital, Chicalim.
Confirming that it was suspected dengue case, Chicalim Sub-District Hospital in-charge Dr Anil Umbraskar said, “The girl had attended OPD stating that she had fever for the last four days. She was sent for a blood test and we got her results as NS1, a case of suspected dengue.”
However, her platelet count was above one lakh and after she was checked by the casualty doctor and kept her under observation.
“After she was stable, she was taken to the ward. We also started with fluids which is the first line of treatment and the child was admitted and she was doing fine,” Dr Umbraskar said.
Stating that senior doctors were taking rounds and she was fine, Dr Umbraskar informed that doctors received a call early morning that the child was complaining of leg pain. The doctors checked her and she was fine and she even went to the washroom and came back and all was well till then with her vital statistics normal.
“The doctors then got another call at around 5 am that the child was complaining of stomach ache and leg pain and the doctor realised that the blood pressure had dropped. The doctors then without wasting time referred her to GMC because her BP was on a lower side and the girl expired in GMCH,” said Dr Umbraskar.
Doctors at Chicalim Sub-District Hospital provided treatment as per protocol: DHS
PANJIM: The Directorate of Health Services (DHS) on Tuesday said that the doctors at Chicalim Sub-District Hospital had worked as per the protocol in the case of the six-year-old girl, who succumbed to suspected case of dengue.
Speaking to O Heraldo, DHS chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Kalpana Mahatme said, “The six-year-old patient was having fever for four days. It seems that her parents were taking her to a private hospital. She arrived at the OPD of the sub-district hospital at 11.30 am.
The doctors did an NS1 test and it came positive. They admitted her and started giving drip. The patient was doing very well.”
At 3 am in the morning she had abdominal pain. She was checked and she was fine. At 5 am, she again started having abdominal pain. They came and examined her and found that BP was not normal. The hospital authorities referred her to Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Bambolim.
Dr Mahatme said that the victim’s platelet count was normal and it was more than one lakh. She was fine when she was admitted but she developed a problem on Tuesday morning. She was referred immediately. So the referral was not delayed,” she said.
“Our doctors have done a good job. The patient was tested for dengue immediately after she was admitted. Earlier, the test was not done. The treatment was symptomatic,” Dr Mahatme added.
