FAMILY CONTENTION
>> When her condition turned serious, Hospicio doctors were requested to rush her to GMC
>> The ambulance did not take the patient to GMC immediately, but waited for more patients
>> The delay in carrying the patient to the hospital in Bambolim cost the young girl her life
HOSPITAL'S DEFENCE
>> The deceased girl was a cancer patient, a case of palliation, where nothing could have been done
>> The girl was moved to an ambulance along with three other patients to be carried to the GMC
MARGAO: Hospicio was back in the news on Wednesday after a nine-year old girl from Navelim died in the hospital ambulance, with relatives pointing fingers at the hospital authorities for not shifting the patient immediately to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim.
Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Ira Almeida, however, said that the deceased girl was a cancer patient, a case of palliation, where nothing could have been done to save her life. She asserted that the girl was shifted to an ambulance along with another three patients to be carried from the Hospicio to GMC.
It was the contention of the relatives of the deceased girl that when her condition turned serious, they requested the Hospicio doctors to rush her to GMC. They claimed that the hospital ambulance did not take the patient to GMC immediately, but waited for three more patients to be taken all together, saying the delay cost the young girl her life.
As the death triggered uproar by the relatives, Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Ira Almeida clarified that the hospital cannot be blamed for the girl’s death. “It’s a case of cancer. The girl was gasping for breath and had low blood pressure. After we stabilized the patient’s blood pressure, we requested the family to decide whether they want to take the patient home or to the GMC since nothing can be done to save her life. The family, however, preferred to take her to the GMC since the girl was earlier a patient of that hospital,” Dr Ira said.
Dr Ira said the girl was shifted to an ambulance which was waiting for another three patients to be carried to the GMC. “There is no question of any delay on the part of the Hospicio to take the patient to the GMC,” she said.
Dr Ira claimed that Hospicio manages with the existing fleet of ambulances, adding that the hospital even requisitions 108 ambulance in an emergency to shift patients to the GMC, Bambolim.
Another senior lady doctor told the media that the girl had bouts of fits and her blood pressure was down. “After we attended to her, the patient’s blood pressure had improved. By the time, the girl patient and three other patients were shifted to the ambulance, it must have consumed around 10-15 minutes, which is not at all a delay," the doctor added.
-----------------------------------------------
Visiting panel wants
Vishwajit to resign
MARGAO: The death of the nine-year old girl saw members of the Hospicio Visiting Committee demanding the resignation of Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, saying the Health Minister should quit if he cannot provide amenities to the patients. Hospicio Hospital Visiting Committee member Johnny Crasto, who came to the hospital following the death of the nine-year old girl, said if the Health Minister cannot provide adequate number of ambulances to Hospicio, he should resign and go home.
He also demanded that Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Ira Almeida should go home if issues relating to ambulances cannot be resolved. “Hospicio is not functioning at all. It is indeed a cause for concern if patients are dying in the hospital for want of ambulances,” he said.
Johnny Crasto demanded to know why the Health Minister does not pay attention to the issues plaguing Hospicio, demanding his resignation if he cannot resolve the issues.
