Medical apathy
An eight-year-old, who was attacked by stray dogs some in a village of Punjab’s Kasur district two weeks ago, succumbed to her injuries on Sunday. Doctors at various hospitals kept referring her to different hospitals and a private hospital simply refused to admit her because her parents could not afford the treatment. The sheer disregard and apathy of healthcare officials is alarming, but it’s not something we have witnessed for the first — or even the last — time. Every now and then, we hear of cases of poorer, more vulnerable patients losing their lives either because of medical negligence or healthcare officials’ apathetic attitudes.
The victim was initially taken to Kasur District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital where she was given an anti-rabies vaccine but not an anti-tetanus doze to protect her against viral encephalitis/meningitis, which later caused her death. One cannot help but wonder why DHQ attendants avoided giving her an anti-tetanus dose, especially when it is commonly given to victims of dog bites. It appears that the attendants did not thoroughly examine the patient and cover all bases to protect the patient. The head of the Paeds Department Children’s Hospital Lahore where the victim was taken later claimed that they decided to shift the victim to the Infectious Diseases Hospital in the hospital’s ambulance, but the victim’s parents left the hospital with the patient much later. It is rather cruel to hold the destitute and distressed parents responsible who had already spent days moving their ailing daughter from one place to another.
The Interim Chief Minister of Punjab has taken notice of the incident and must ensure a thorough investigation of the case. This case once again serves as a reminder to improve healthcare provision and assistance in far-flung regions of the country to save innocent lives. Importantly, the rising stray dog population, which has become a major source of concern across the country, needs to be addressed effectively to reduce such incidents.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2023.
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