Kanchipuram: 14-year-old kidney patient dies after waiting 7 hours for ambulance

Mangalore Today News Network

Kanchipuram, Dec 11, 2017 : A 14-year-old child who had been battling kidney failure died as there was no ambulance available to take her to Chennai hospital for nearly seven hours.

 

Sarika was the daughter of Anandhan, a saree weaver, and had been studying in the tenth standard. Sarika’s kidney failed a year ago and had been undergoing dialysis in Chennai’s Rajiv Gandhi Hospital.

In a change of schedule, Sarika’s family decided to try dialysis at Kanchipuram Government Hospital as they couldn’t travel to Chennai often.

She was admitted and had been undergoing treatment for a week. Due to unexplained complications, Sarika’s health began to deteriorate around 12pm on Sunday.

The duty doctor advised that Sarika be moved immediately to Rajiv Gandhi Hospital but no ambulance was available.

Sarika’s father and mother were at her bedside trying to console her saying that the ambulance would arrive anytime to take her to Chennai and she would be fine soon.

Her father couldn’t control his tears as he watched his daughter struggle to breathe.

For seven hours, no ambulance arrived to transport Sarika to Chennai. Her parents allegedly pleaded with the doctors many times but nothing happened.

Finally, they informed the district collector and an ambulance was sent immediately to transport Sarika. Unfortunately the child died on the way to Chennai.

Sarika’s family blamed the staff of Kanchipuram Hospital for negligence which led to their daughter’s death. Doctors at Kanchipuram hospital have not given any explanation about the complication that occured during Sarika’s routine dialysis nor the reason for the seven-hour delay in getting an ambulance.

The scene of Sarika’s father crying and running behind his dead daughter being taken on a stretcher was unbearably painful to others at the hospital.
 


courtesy:IndiaToday