NEW DELHI: A 15-year-old who had sustained a gunshot injury during the communal riots in northeast Delhi was allegedly denied an MRI scan at a private diagnostic lab on Friday. Mohammad Sameer, a resident of Chaman Park, had been referred by GTB Hospital to a privately-run diagnostic centre for a MRI scan as the hospital did not have a functional MRI machine.
Shahbaz, a Jamia Hamdard medical student who was helping the family, said Sameer was taken to House of Diagnostics where doctors refused to conduct the test stating that the centre does not approve medicolegal cases (MLC).
“The patient was already taken inside for the scan but the staff did not conduct the test. The receptionist then told us that they won’t do the test because it was an MLC. The doctor also wrote the same in the medical report card of GTB,” he said.
This correspondent has viewed a copy of the card where the HoD has denied conducting the test citing MLC as the reason.
Shahbaz added that Sameer was then taken to two more centres who also refused to conduct the scan.
How can a doctor refuse a medicolegal case? The patient was already under tremendous pressure. The DGHS need to ensure that the private institutes are following law,” said Dr Satendra Singh, Founder, Doctors with Disabilities and a disability activist.
Reacting to the incident, GTB Hospital Medical Superintendent said that he is looking into the matter.
