My daughter is critical after getting contaminated IV, says Hyderabad father of six-year-old

The family has filed a complaint of negligence with the police.
My daughter is critical after getting contaminated IV, says Hyderabad father of six-year-old
My daughter is critical after getting contaminated IV, says Hyderabad father of six-year-old
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Dharawath Bikshapathy sits quietly on a chair by the hospital bed of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad.

He gently holds his daughter’s hand, even as his shaking left leg exposes his anxiety.

Six-year-old Sai Prabalika has been sick for the last three years. She was diagnosed with Neuronal Ceroid lipofuscinosis, a neurodegenerative disorder at the age of three.

On December 7, she was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia and high fever.

“Doctors have given up on her health, she was doing fine until yesterday morning,” Dharawath says weakly.

At 7am on Thursday, she was administrated intravenous (IV) fluid.

“She turned reddish and started shivering, after an hour. I rushed to call a doctor and within some time they said she cannot be saved and she will only survive for maximum one hour. I was shocked, they asked to sign some documents but I refused,” Dharwath, who works as a driver says.

(Akula Vijaya, state president of BJP Mahila Morcha and MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao visited the hospital)

He says he noticed yellowish fungal material and an insect in the fluid.

However, by the time he noticed the insect, half of its contents were already administered.

“My daughter was already sick, but after Thursday her condition turned worse, I am scared that she won’t survive. Even when I complained to the doctors and superintendent they did not take any action,” he points out.

He alleges that it is a sheer case of negligence on the part of the hospital and its doctors as the contaminated fluid caused an allergic reaction.

Prabhalika is critical and is battling for her life in the hospital.

The family has lodged a complaint with Chilkalguda police.

J Venkateshwar Reddy, Superintendent of Gandhi Hospital says that patients like Prabhalika, who suffer from Neuronal Ceroid lipofuscinosis, have a shortened lifespan with death occurring between the age of 6 and 13 years.

 “She was previously admitted to this hospital with the same symptoms three months ago for 20 days. While at home also she has been given oxygen by mask frequently for the past three months,” he explains.

While he admits that the contaminated particles were present in the fluid, Reddy says that it could not have affected her health.

“She was very sick from the beginning, she could not talk properly, could not pass urine or stool on her own. She was bedridden for many days. It cannot be because of some small insect in the fluid,” he adds.

When pressed further as to why Prabhalika’s condition took a turn for the worse, the superintendent respondent saying, “If someone has been sick for so long, their health can get worse suddenly, but it’s hard to say right now the particular reason.”

(J Venkateshwar Reddy, Superintendent of Gandhi Hospital)

Prabhalika’s mother, Sumalatha says she was admitted in school in 2012 but had to quit after five months.  “She was always very weak, but for last few months her health was getting worse, but at least we had hope. I don’t know the medical terms and whatever the doctors say we believe but how can this be that only after she was given that fluid her condition is so critical that they are saying she won’t survive,” she says as her voice quivers.

Prabhalika’s medical condition soon turned political as Akula Vijaya, state president of BJP Mahila Morcha and MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao arrived at the hospital on Friday afternoon.

 “If the hospital is found guilty necessary action will be taken against all the people who are involved,” said Dayakar Rao.

 “Prabhalika used to spend most of her time at home because of her sickness, and play with her younger sister. Even after all the difficulties of her health, we hoped that someday she will be fine. Now when I see her lying on the bed in that condition, I feel blank,” Dharwath says in shock.

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