CHENNAI: Delay in seeking right medical care due to lack of awareness caused the death of an 11-month-old boy at Maruthavallipuram in Tiruvallur district, the boy’s father said.It has been a week since Nishanth died at Sri Ramachandra Medical College Hospital. “Had he got the right treatment, he would have been alive,” said M Natarajan, father of Nishanth.
“We did not have awareness of dengue. We took our son from Tiruvallur to a nursing home at Sunguvarchatram. The doctor gave crocin saying it was a normal fever. But, it did not subside. I asked the doctor if my son needed a blood test and he replied in the negative.
“We were about to take the boy to a government hospital in Tiruvallur. But, neighbours said doctors will not be available as it was a weekend. So, we took him to Kancheepuram and then Sri Ramachandra Medical College Hospital, where he died. We borrowed `1 lakh for the treatment. We could not make a claim under the CM’s comprehensive health insurance scheme because my son died before we could complete the paperwork.”