New Delhi: The Centre today ordered a probe into the death of a seven-year-old boy suffering from dengue after two private hospitals refused to admit him and soon after his depressed parents jumped to death from a four-storey building, triggering outrage.
The Delhi government also slapped show cause notices on five leading hospitals threatening cancellation of registration.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda said that his Ministry has sought a report from the Delhi government on the issue by September 14 while asserting that “guilty will not be spared” and action will be taken against those who have not followed the Union Health Ministry protocol laid down for dengue treatment.
The distraught parents of the boy jumped from the terrace of the four-storey building in south Delhi's Lado Sarai soon after performing the last rites.
The deceased were identified as Laxmichandra and Babita Rout, both natives of Odisha and the couple has left behind a one-page suicide note in Odiya, in which they have written that “it is nobody's fault” and the “the decision” was theirs.
The couple's only son, Avinash, died of dengue on September 8 after allegedly being denied admission at two prominent private hospitals on the previous day.
“I have ordered inquiry into incident reported in media involving death of child in Delhi due to dengue and suicide by parents. Guilty won't be spared. I have sought a report from the Delhi government. I have told them to submit the report without delay. It is a very sad incident,” Nadda said.
Noting that all hospitals have been asked to keep required amount of designated beds for dengue, the Union Minister said that all states including Delhi have been briefed about protocol for conducting observation of such cases and following the protocol is their duty.
“A complete exercise has been done with Delhi government as well. We had a workshop with municipal coporators. Protocols has been fixed and they are required to follow. If the protocols have not been followed, action will be taken,” he said.
Police have initiated an inquest proceeding in the case under Section 174 of CrPC. The dengue death toll in the national capital now stands at five.
Delhi government has sent show cause notices to Moolchand Hospital, Aakash Hospital (Malviya Nagar), Saket City Hospital, Max Hospital (Saket) and Irene Hospital (Kalkaji) for their alleged refusal to admit a patient.
They have been asked to reply within one month as to why their registration should not be cancelled for their alleged refusal to admit an emergency case who later lost his life, said a senior Delhi government official.
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