Alleged Delay of 6 years in Cardiac Surgery: NHRC issues notice to Centre, Delhi AIIMS

New Delhi: The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report published on June 13, which highlighted the case of a six-year-old boy from Begusarai awaiting cardiac surgery since 2019 when he was only three months old. Consequently, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Union Health Ministry and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi. 

The NHRC has issued notices to the Union Health Ministry and the AIIMS Delhi chief over reports alleging that a six-year-old boy from Bihar has been waiting for a cardiac issue-related surgery since 2019 when he was just three months old, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the reports, AIIMS Delhi has cited various reasons for the delay, including bed unavailability and doctor's absence. The institute has formed a committee to investigate the allegations, as per NHRC's statement. 

According to a PTI report, the rights panel said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report, carried on June 13, that a six-year-old boy from Begusarai has been waiting for a cardiac issue-relate surgery since 2019 when he was three months old.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a very serious issue of violation of human rights.

"The right to health and medical care is a basic human right. The AIIMS is one of the prestigious and premier public-funded healthcare institutions where a large number of people visit daily from across the country in the hope of getting their loved ones treated for their ailments by the best doctors of the nation," the statement said.

The NHRC said it is aware of the "constraints faced by public hospitals" across the country but it is still "painful to know that the young boy from Bihar has been waiting for cardiac surgery for about the last six years despite his poor health condition. This is indeed a matter of deep concern", news agency PTI reported.

The NHRC has issued notices to notices to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the director of AIIMS-Delhi, seeking a detailed report within one week, including the present health status of the boy and a scheduled date of his cardiac surgery reportedly required and advised by the AIIMS's doctors, the statement said.

As mentioned in the news report, the father of the boy earns a modest monthly income of Rs 8,000 and faces significant financial strain due to medical expenses as each visit to Delhi costs him between Rs 13,000 and Rs 15,000 for transportation and accommodation.

The child cannot walk more than 15 steps without experiencing breathlessness. Additionally, his physical development has been hindered, the statement said.