Minister Orders Probe into Child's Death

The death of the child of a migrant labourer due to alleged negligence by doctors in Amritsar, the hometown of Punjab Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, is to be probed by a committee

The death of the child of a migrant labourer due to alleged negligence by doctors in Amritsar, the hometown of Punjab Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, is to be probed by a committee.

Medical Education and Research Minister Tikshan Sud Tuesday ordered that the Director, research and medical education, J.S. Dalal submit a preliminary report on the incident.

The son of a migrant labourer from Nepal died outside the Amritsar Medical College Hospital Monday after he was allegedly not given treatment by doctors after being bitten by a stray dog.

The father of the victim alleged that his child kept crying in pain outside the hospital but the doctors refused to treat him.

After suffering outside the hospital for 6-7 hours, during which many people gathered around the victim but could do little to help, the child was given medical treatment, but it was too late.

Doctors at the hospital tried to put the blame on the child's father, saying that he had brought his son for paediatric treatment.

Sud set up a three-member committee, comprising senior doctors, to probe the matter.

The medical superintendent of the hospital has been asked to give his explanation.

Sud asked Amritsar's deputy commissioner to pay a compensation of Rs.50,000 to the father of the victim.

The minister Tuesday also suspended the principal of Guru Nanak Medical College, J.P. Kaur Shergill, and emergency medical officer H.S. Grewal for the removal of the kidney of a child patient admitted to the hospital recently. A probe has been ordered into this matter too.

Source-IANS
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