Staff will be penalized if guilty: Dy CM

Mapusa: Taking cognizance of the death of a minor girl in Mapusa allegedly due to the negligence on the part of the government hospital staff, deputy chief minister and health minister Francis D’Souza on Wednesday assured the family members of the deceased that strict action to the extent of criminal proceedings will be initiated against the health staff, if found guilty in negligence causing the death.
Sources said Rakshanda Sheikh, 17, from Cunchelim along with her brother, Rashid, were taken to the district hospital on May 17 for treatment of fever. The examination of the blood samples at the district hospital indicated that Rakshanda had malaria and she was admitted at the hospital on May 18. Her family members claimed that the medical superintendent examined the patient and referred her to Goa medical college (GMC) and hospital, Bambolim, for further treatment. At GMC, the doctor on duty examined the deceased, but expressed inability to admit her as there was non- availability of arrangement of a ventilator.
The doctor on duty further advised the parents to shift the patient to a private hospital as her condition was serious. Finally, the patient was admitted at a private hospital in Mapusa where she died on Saturday evening while undergoing treatment.
On Wednesday, the family members met D’Souza at his Mapusa residence and complained against the staff of the Mapusa district hospital and GMC alleging that due to negligence on part of the staff of both hospitals, Rakshanda lost her life. The family alleged that the doctors did not disclose to them the sickness their daughter was suffering from and blood sample reports were misplaced by the hospital staff. D’Souza told the delegation that he has ordered an inquiry and has directed the health secretary to submit the report within 10 days. He also asked the family to give their statements before the inquiry officer.
“After going through the medical reports of Rakshanda, it looks like she was suffering from vivax malaria and normally people don’t die due to this type of malaria. She had swelling in her lungs, which could be a cause of death,” D’Souza said. The delegation requested the health minister to look into the matter and see that in future no life is lost because of the negligence of hospital staff.