Ailing son dies on father’s shoulders after being denied hospital admission

Kanpur (UP) [India]: Deteriorating health facilities at hospitals in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh have been magnified by the death of a 12-year-old boy on his father’s shoulder because he was denied timely access to medical facilities at different hospitals.

The incident took place on August 26 when Ansh, a resident of Kanpur’s Fazalganj area, was admitted to a medical facility with high fever.

After being treated in private hospitals for two days, his father finally took him to the Hallet Hospital. Doctors at the hospital told the father to take Ansh to the children’s ward, but by the time Ansh’s father, Sunil, carried Ansh to the children’s ward, the 12-year-old boy died.

“My son had high fever… He was studying in class sixth. He was very good at his studies. Doctors at the children’s ward told me had I arrived 10 minutes before, my son would have been saved,” the father said carrying his dead son on his shoulder.

“It is negligence on the part of the Hallet Hospital. They did not provide treatment to my son. They didn’t even provide me a stretcher. I was running from here to there carrying my son on my shoulder,” a teary Sunil said.