Patiala:
A two-year-old girl’s death due to diarrhoea at Mata Kaushalya Hospital, Patiala, has triggered a departmental inquiry by the Punjab Health Department over allegations of medical negligence by a female doctor.
Family Alleges Delay in Treatment Led to Death
The girl’s family has accused the doctor of delaying treatment while allegedly having tea and biscuits with other hospital staff.
“I pleaded with the doctor to start treatment, but she told me to wait. I cried and begged, but by the time she came, the child had died,” the child’s relative told The Tribune.
Incident Gains Attention Amid Diarrhoea Outbreak
The case surfaced publicly during Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh’s visit to Allipur Arian, a locality grappling with a diarrhoea outbreak that has affected at least 70 people and claimed two lives.
During the visit, a local woman informed the Minister that she had lost both her 70-year-old mother on June 28 and her two-year-old niece on July 1 to the same illness, alleging negligence in both cases. She maintained the child could have survived had timely treatment been provided.
Minister Orders Probe, CCTV Review
In response, Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh ordered a comprehensive probe into the incident and instructed officials to review CCTV footage from the hospital on the day of the child’s death. A detailed report has been sought to verify the claims and determine accountability.
Civil Surgeon Confirms Inquiry, No Proof Yet of Negligence
Civil Surgeon Dr. Jagpalinder Singh confirmed that a departmental inquiry has been initiated against the doctor in question. However, he stated that no conclusive evidence has yet emerged directly linking the child’s death to medical negligence.
