PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi, Dated: 7th August, 2015

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report narrating the ordeal of a ten year old boy, Bilal, who, after being made to shuttle from one big hospital to another in Delhi for treatment of a foot injury, eventually lost his foot, which had to be amputated to save his life from infection. According to the media report, the incident is an indicator of mismanaged health services in Delhi and carelessness of doctors in Government hospitals, who do not examine the patients properly though several people throng to Delhi from different States in the hope of better treatment.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Secretary, Health Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, Commissioner, North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Secretary, Delhi Medical Council calling for reports within two weeks.

They have also been asked to specify steps taken for the identification of quacks practicing in Delhi, action taken against the erring doctors as well as details about the scheme, if any, framed for providing ex-gratia relief to victims of medical negligence.

According to the media report, carried on the 1st August, 2015, Bilal's ordeal began when a piece of glass pierced into his foot on the 1st May, 2014 and he was taken to a quack in Sangam Park, Rana Pratap Bagh colony in Delhi. His injury was stitched without extracting the piece of glass. But he had to be taken to the emergency ward of Hindu Rao Hospital as his condition was not good. After X-ray, the doctor declared that there was no glass and advised further treatment in the OPD the next morning.

A further X-ray in the OPD revealed glass in the foot. However, it was only after three days at the hospital that the glass piece was finally taken out from his foot. This caused infection for which no treatment was provided. The patient was transferred to the Lok Nayak Hospital, where he was initially refused admission but later kept for two days and then discharged. Further treatment at Gangaram Hospital was suggested. Thereafter, his family members took him to a hospital in Meerut where his foot was amputated in order to save his life.

According to the media report, the registration of four doctors of the two hospitals, Hindi Rao and Safdarjung, had been suspended for one month by the Delhi Medical Council. A case had also been registered the quack.

*****