Delaying first aid: Inquiry begins over student’s death at Faisalabad college

Though Ujala complained of severe headache, she was not allowed to visit college dispensary

FAISALABAD: The Punjab government has finally decided to launch an inquiry to investigate the death of a female student who died waiting for first aid at her college.

Faisalabad Additional Commissioner General (ADCG) Muhammad Shahid formally started an inquiry into the death of Ujala Javed, a BS Mass Communication student of the Government College for Women, Kharhkana Baazar. She died at the divisional headquarters hospital on January 22.

Ujala belonged to a very poor family. Her father, a janitor at the Faisalabad Electricity Supply Company, died of a heart attack a month ago. He was the only breadwinner of a family of six. Ujala’s friends at the college say she was suffering from depression after her father’s death.

On January 18, when she was in classroom, she told her classmates and teacher about a severe headache. Since a headache is not generally given much attention, the condition of Ujala did not alarm her teacher and classmates and she was not allowed to visit the college dispensary.

It was only after an hour when people around Ujala realised that she needed immediate first aid. She had started crying and vomiting severely in the classroom.

Ujala was rushed to the college’s dispensary for medical assistance by her two classmates on the directives of the class teacher. In-charge of the college dispensary gave her some medicine, but the vomiting did not stop. Ujala’s classmates say the college administration wasted almost an hour in providing medical assistance and shifted her to a local hospital when her condition turned precarious.

One of Ujala’s classmates said she was laid on a charpoy in the dispensary and she finally fell unconscious. The in-charge of the college dispensary informed principal Dr Tayyaba Shaheen who was busy in the college hall at that time. Another 15 minutes were wasted in this process. Rescue 1122 was called and finally Ujala was shifted to the DHQ hospital on January 18 where she died on January 22.

That very next day, Ujala’s family members and classmates staged a demonstration, accusing the college administration for delaying first aid and shifting the student to hospital even after realising that the situation needed immediate attention and response. They allege that negligence of the college administration proved fatal and Ujala lost her life waiting for first aid.

It was not until the media highlighted the incident that the Punjab government took notice and ordered an inquiry to determine the facts leading to Ujala’s death.

The family of the decreased also alleged the college administration of discrimination with Ujala on the basis of faith and delayed shifting her to hospital.

ADCG Muhammad Shahid recorded the statements of Faisalabad Division Director of Education (Colleges) Rana Munwar Khan, Kharkana Bazaar Government College for Women Principal Dr Tayyaba Shaheen, college dispensary in-charge Arslan Ahmad and Rescue 1122’s Rehmat Ahmad who shifted Ujala to the DHQ hospital. Talking to The Express Tribune, medical superintendent Dr Rauf Ahmad said Ujaila was brought to the hospital emergency on January 18 at 1.20pm and she was already brain dead.

“Doctors made their utmost effort to save her brain, but could not succeed. First, she was given electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and also administrated medicines which brought back her pulse and blood pressure, but the brain remained dead,” he said while explaining the patient’s condition when she was brought to hospital.

“We made all our efforts to bring her brain back to life, but could not succeed and finally Ujala died at 10:45pm on January 22. Her relativities, including her brother, received the body without any complaint or hesitation. They never demanded an autopsy,” Dr Rauf added.

Government College for Women Principal Dr Tayyaba Shaheen denied any delay in the shifting the student to the hospital as alleged by Ujala’s family.

“After three days of Ujala’s burial, her family came up with a complaint of negligence on part of the college administration and discrimination on the basis of faith,” Colleges Director Rana Munawar asserted.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2017.