‘Why did our child die?’ Parents still waiting for answers after two months

Archana and Ashish Patil have been on a hunger strike at Azad Maidan for the past 11 days. Pic/Ashish Raje

Nearly two months after the death of their four-month-old son Shivansh under mysterious circumstances at Bai Jerabai Wadia Hospital, an Ambarnath couple has alleged that they are still awaiting answers from the hospital. The grieving parents, who have been protesting at Azad Maidan for the last several days, claim that despite repeated visits and requests, they have neither received the baby's medical records nor any explanation regarding the cause of death.

According to the couple, who runs a food truck to earn their livelihood in Ambernath, the four-month-old boy's condition suddenly deteriorated during treatment, and he later died at the hospital on April 10. However, they allege that no doctor or staff member clearly informed them about the exact cause of death. Shivansh's mother also alleged that the ventilator he was put on had developed snags three times.

CEOSpeak

Dr Minnie Bodhanwala, CEO, Wadia Group
‘I am currently out of town and won't be able to comment on this.'

Referred to Wadia

Shivansh was admitted to a private hospital in Kalyan on March 23 as he was suffering from a constant high fever. Doctors tried to treat him, but referred him to Wadia Hospital as his condition wasn't improving.

Insensitive behaviour

Archana Patil, Shivansh's mother
Let alone giving us answers, and the case papers and reports, we were treated in an insensitive manner by the hospital authorities following the tragedy. They threw us out with our dead baby by involving security personnel.

Lack of clarity

Archana said Shivansh was admitted to Wadia on March 29, and she was told to stop feeding him on March 30. He was operated upon on March 31. "They told us that his brain is filled with water. After he was brought out of the OT, we got to know that they also operated on his stomach. We still don't know what he was operated on for."