HC seeks Delhi govt response on denial of medical treatment to class three boy
The Delhi High Court on Friday requested the Delhi government’s position on a plea that exposed the denial of medical treatment to a minor boy at government-run hospitals due to a lack of cotton swabs and the unavailability of doctors. The court’s inquiry follows a troubling incident that highlights critical shortcomings in the public healthcare system.
Justice Subramonium Prasad, presiding over a single-judge bench, issued a notice to the Delhi government, mandating the submission of a status report within 10 days. This report must also detail the condition of other government-run hospitals in Delhi. The case is scheduled for further hearing on May 30.
The incident, which occurred on April 1, involved a Class III student who fractured his left arm after a fall at school. Initially taken to Dr. Hedgewar Aarogya Sansthan, the boy was referred to a higher centre due to the lack of necessary medical supplies. The attending doctor marked “Cotton NA” on the boy’s emergency card and instructed the family to purchase cotton swabs independently.
The boy’s father, employed as a security guard, then rushed his son to Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya. However, they were informed that no doctors were available as it was already 5:30 pm, and the doctors had left the hospital at 3 pm. With no other options available at government facilities, the family sought help at a private clinic, which subsequently referred them to Chandra
Laxmi Hospital. It was only around 12:30 am that a plaster was finally applied to the boy’s fractured arm.
The family incurred significant expenses due to the inadequate response from the public healthcare system. The boy’s mother, a domestic worker, had to borrow Rs 12,000 from her employer to pay the medical bills at Chandra Laxmi Hospital.
The petition filed by advocates Ashok Agarwal and Kumar Utkarsh highlights the financial strain placed on the family due to this ordeal.
In response to the denial of treatment, the petitioner, through his legal representatives, served a notice to the Delhi government on April 6, demanding reimbursement of the Rs 12,000 spent on medical bills and an additional compensation of Rs 1 lakh.
The petition argues that the refusal to treat the boy due to the absence of basic medical supplies and available doctors is “illegal, arbitrary, unjust, malafide, discriminatory, unethical,” and a violation of the fundamental right to health as enshrined under Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution.
The plea underscores the Delhi government’s failure to fulfill its constitutional obligation to provide free and quality healthcare to its citizens.
The court’s intervention seeks to address these systemic failures and ensure accountability within the public health infrastructure.
The case continues to develop, with the next hearing set for May 30, where the Delhi government’s detailed response and plans for rectifying these issues will be closely scrutinised.