TIRUCHY: A 4.5-year-old boy died near Thuraiyur on Saturday after allegedly failing to receive timely treatment at the Kannanur Primary Health Centre (PHC), where no doctor was on duty, according to his parents.
The deceased, S. Prajan, son of daily wage labourers Selvaraj (34) and Dhivya, was a resident of Kannanur village and an LKG student at a private matriculation school in Thuraiyur.
According to the family, who spoke with TNIE on Monday, Prajan had been unwell with a cold and was being taken for regular treatment at a private hospital on Saturday morning when he suddenly developed breathing distress on the way.
Alarmed by his condition, his parents decided to seek immediate medical attention at the nearby Kannanur PHC at around 11 a.m.
However, they alleged that no doctor or nurse was on duty at the PHC at that time. “We rushed him there hoping for immediate help, but there was no doctor. Only one staff member was present and could not treat him,” said K. Kumar, a relative of the child.
Dhivya said that the delay proved fatal. “If there had been a doctor, my child could have been saved. There was no one to attend to him in an emergency,” she alleged.
As there was no one to attend to them, the parents took the child in a private vehicle to a hospital in Thuraiyur, where he was declared brought dead.
Official sources indicated that one doctor’s post at the PHC is vacant, while another staff member is on maternity leave.
A doctor from a nearby PHC has been given additional charge to oversee Kannanur.
Health department officials said that an inquiry is underway, but no action has been taken so far.
“We will press charges and take appropriate action once a prima facie case is established,” said V. Saravanan, District Collector.