NT NETWORK
MAPUSA
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, who is also the Health Minister, has ordered an inquiry into the death of teenager Rakshanda Sheikh, who died on Saturday due to negligence and refusal of treatment at government hospitals inspite of the authorities there being aware about the seriousness of the patient’s case.
When contacted on Monday, D’Souza said, “I have already initiated an inquiry into the matter and directed the health secretary to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit the report in ten days.”
The Sheikh family from Mapusa was made to rush from one government hospital to another for treatment of their daughter, who was finally admitted at a private hospital in Mapusa where, however, she died on Saturday evening.
It may be recalled that 17-year-old Rakshanda and her teenage brother Rashid were rushed by their father Iqbal to the North Goa District Hospital on May 17 for treatment of fever. Their blood samples were obtained by the hospital authorities and sent for examination.
When Iqbal went to the hospital to collect the reports on May 18 (Wednesday), he was, however, shocked to find his daughter’s blood examination report missing, while his son Rashid had tested negative for malaria. Blood samples of Rakshanda were obtained once again by the hospital authorities and the report handed over to her father by afternoon. As the report indicated that Rakshanda was suffering from malaria, the doctor at the hospital had immediately admitted her. However, other than referring her for an X-ray, she was allegedly given no treatment till Thursday afternoon, when the medical superintendent examined the patient’s file and referred her to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) at Bambolim for further treatment.
As the patient’s family reached GMC, the doctors there examined her, conducted tests and advised the patient’s father to shift her to a private hospital as her condition was critical and the GMC could not make arrangements for a ventilator.
Troubled, Rakshanda’s family then rushed her back to Mapusa and admitted her in a private hospital where she was later administered treatment. However, as her condition had turned critical, she was unable to respond properly to the treatment and died on Saturday evening.