KOCHI: In alleged negligence by hospital authorities, a three-year-old kid who accidentally swallowed a coin died at Aluva, near Kochi, on Saturday night after being denied treatment at least in three hospitals citing the family hails from a Covid-19 containment zone.
Prithviraj, the lone child of Raju and Nandini, has been identified as the deceased.
The child’s parents have come forward alleging that the child was denied treatment in three government hospitals. The incident happened around 11 am on Saturday. Soon after the child swallowed the coin, he was rushed to District Hospital, Aluva. The hospital authorities referred the child to Ernakulam General Hospital stating that there was no paediatrician. However, the General Hospital authorities sent them to Government Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha, so as to consult a paediatric surgeon.
According to the parents, the doctors advised them to give fruits and rice to the child and the coin would go out naturally. The child was brought home back and by Saturday night he developed uneasiness, and his condition worsened later. Though he was rushed to Aluva District hospital, he breathed his last on the wee hours.
"The Alappuzha hospital authorities said that they could not admit the child as we are coming from a containment zone. However, the child developed uneasiness by night and began crying,” said Nandini.
It was by 3 in the evening that the kid was taken to the Ernakulam General Hospital. "X-ray was taken and the coin was found in his stomach and therefore was not a threat. The kid was not showing any breathing difficulty and seemed active at the time. Since there was no paediatric surgeon at the hospital, we suggested them to take him to the medical college and the family preferred to go to Alappuzha Medical College since it was closest. An ambulance was also arranged for their travel," said Dr A Anitha, Medical Superintendent, Ernakulam General Hospital.
Dr Anitha also added that there were no symptoms like fever, or cough showed by the kid. "Since the kid was coming from a containment zone, we took the necessary steps as well but no such symptoms were found," said Dr Anitha.