Unavailability of cotton swabs, doctors: Delhi HC seeks Govt response over hospitals denying treatment to minor

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has taken cognizance of a distressing incident where a minor boy was denied treatment at two government-run hospitals due to the unavailability of cotton swabs and doctors. Terming the incident "shocking," the court has directed the Delhi government to respond to the matter within 10 days.

Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the Delhi government asking it to file a status report within 10 days.

The court has demanded a status report from the Delhi government, which will not only address the specific case but also shed light on the overall condition of government-run hospitals in the capital. The next hearing is scheduled for May 30.

Acording to a PTI report, The petition contended that the conduct of the two Delhi government-run hospitals– Dr Hedgewar Aarogya Sansthan and Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya– denying treatment to the petitioner, a school boy, for want of cotton and non-availability of doctor is “illegal, arbitrarily, malafide, unethical and violates the fundamental right to health”. 

The plea sought a direction to the Delhi government to reimburse medical expenses of Rs 12,000 incurred on his treatment and grant Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the child.

The incident occurred on April 1, when the boy, a third-grade student, suffered a fractured arm while playing at school. Despite being rushed to Dr. Hedgewar Aarogya Sansthan, he was refused treatment due to the unavailability of cotton swabs. Subsequently, at Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, the family was informed that no doctors were present as it was past working hours.

The plea said that on the boy’s emergency card, the doctor on duty wrote “Cotton NA” and the boy was advised to buy the same.

It said the boy’s father, who works as a security guard, took him to Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya where they were told that “no doctor was available as it was already 5:30 p.m.” and doctors had “left the hospital at 3 p.m.”, news agency PTI reported.

Left with no other option, the petitioner was taken to a private clinic which then referred him to Chandra Laxmi Hospital where his left arm was plastered at midnight, the petition said.

The plea said the child’s mother works as a maid servant and she borrowed Rs 12,000 from her employer to pay the bills.

It claimed the Delhi government miserably failed to perform its constitutional obligation to provide to its residents “free and quality health care”.

The lawyers said they served a legal notice to the government against denial of medical treatment at the two state-run hospitals and asked it to reimburse the expenses along with a compensation of Rs 1 lakh but no response was received.