New Delhi: In the second such incident in one week, a newborn baby boy died on Wednesday morning allegedly after a government hospital refused to admit the child citing lack of ventilators.
The baby’s condition deteriorated soon after birth due to breathing issues and needed oxygen supply immediately. When the parents took the newborn to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital (SGH), which refused to admit the baby citing lack of ventilator facility and asked them to take the baby instead to Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital.
“My wife was in intense pain and not in a situation to be taken to any hospital. So she delivered the baby at home on Wednesday and as it developed breathing issues we took the baby to SGH. But the doctor there referred us to Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital. When I asked for an ambulance, they said I can take him by an e-rickshaw,” said 27-year-old Manoj, father of the baby.
However, by the time the father reached the Ambedkar Hospital, the baby was declared brought dead. “They (SGH) could have at least given us some support. If I had more money, I could have gone to a private hospital,” Manoj lamented.
The SGH medical superintendent did not respond to calls. The incident comes six days after another a day-old-girl died due to lack of oxygen supply at state-run Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital which, due to lack of ventilators, referred the child to three hospitals, but none admitted her.
