Burn victims treated, mental patient suffers

Pooja Kashyap, who had been referred to GTB Hospital for immediate surgery, was ignored by doctors, who were busy treating patients from the fire incident in east Delhi on Sunday

Burn victims treated, mental patient suffers

Pooja Kashyap, who had been referred to GTB Hospital for immediate surgery, was ignored by doctors, who were busy treating patients from the fire incident in east Delhi on Sunday

Pooja Kashyap, a 23- year-old woman from Bihar, is living a life of alienation. She lost her two children in an accident, her husband is in a bad state, and now, she is admitted to the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) herself. Having survived the trauma in her life, she is living in a state of shock. She was admitted to the hospital on Friday, as her brain was not functionin properly.

Victim of neglect: Pooja Kashyap, with her sister Shivangi, outside GTB
Hospital, in east Delhi, on Monday. Pic/MiD DAY

She was immediately taken to the intensive care unit (ICU) and was given treatment. After lying down on the bed for almost two days, she suffered bed sores on her back. Pooja was then referred to Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital for immediate surgery.

As the hospital was busy treating burn patients from the fire incident in east Delhi on Sunday, she was ignored by the hospital administration and the doctors. "We came here at 9 in the morning. The doctors asked us to wait till 12 as there were no doctors around. But, even after noon, nobody came to help us.

"We ran from pillar to post, looking for a doctor, but came back disappointed," said Shivangi Kashyap, Pooja's sister. Shivangi was seen roaming in and around the hospital looking for help, as Pooja's condition was deteriorating. Doctors asked her to wait, but when the family asked the doctors to give this in writing, they refused.

No definite answer
"She had not eaten anything since morning as we were told that she should be given food after the surgery. The doctors asked us to wait till 6.30 in the evening, but till then they were not sure whether they would be able to treat Pooja or not. I understand that there is panic all around, and we are ready to corporate, but they should give us one answer or write on the medical sheet. They are not ready to do any of these things," added the angry sister. Pooja's family had to go away disappointed. They took her back to IHBAS.

The other side
Dr Rajpal, medical superintendent, GTB Hospital, said, "I am unaware about the issue. They should have come to us; I would have referred them to a senior doctor. But, we can't help in such a case where we haven't been approached."