NHRC notices to Union Health Secretary and Health Secretary, Delhi Government over reports of a newly born's death due to denial of treatment at three Government hospitals (14.7.2015)

PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi, Dated: 14th July, 2015

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that a newly born baby girl died after being denied treatment by the three Government hospitals in Delhi on the 6th July, 2015. The child was born pre-mature with under developed lungs and weak organs at a private nursing home. She needed special care, including a ventilator for further treatment. Unable to bear the high cost on further treatment at the private nursing home, her family members were constrained to take her from one Government Hospital to another by a CATS ambulance but could not get her admitted for treatment.

The Commission has observed that the right to health is a basic human right and the State has a responsibility to fulfill this right. Any denial of this right and that too in a case of a newly born in a serious condition is abominable. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Secretary, Department of Health, Government of NCT of Delhi calling for a report within four weeks in the matter.

Reportedly, on being refused admission first at the Kalawati Saran Children Hospital on the ground of non-availability of bed and ventilator, the family members of the child took her to the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Here also, she could not be admitted on the same ground. Hence, she was taken to the Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Narayan Hospital. The situation was no different here either. In the process, they had travelled more than three and half hours covering a distance of about 58 kilometers. The delay in the treatment resulted in the death of the child in the ambulance itself.

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