NEVER GIVE UP THE HOPE

Yesterday, 12 years old very poor patient Radha suffering from Brain Tumour was brought to AIIMS, New Delhi on being referred by a Government Hospital at Aligarh (U.P.) for treatment by NGO worker Birender Singh accompanied by the patient’s father. AIIMS after subjecting the patient to some tests and finding that the patient is very critical advised for admission. However, on the ground of non-availability of bed, admission of the patient was denied and the patient was referred to RML Hospital. RML Hospital referred the patient to LNJP Hospital on the ground of non-availability the facility needed for the treatment. LNJP though kept the patient in its emergency ward but by the night, they told the patient’s attendant that they too do not have the required facility for the treatment and are referring the patient back to AIIMS. When told that bed is not available in AIIMS, the LNJP Hospital told the patient’s attendant to take the patient anywhere else. At request, the patient was allowed to stay in emergency ward in the night of 22-23/06/2013. NGO worker was in my contact since last morning when the patient was brought to AIIMS. I called him to my house today at 7.00 am and in his presence, talked to Dr. D.P.Saraswat, CEO, Sri Action Balaji Institute at Pachim Vihar seeking his help. He very kindly asked me to send the NGO worker with the medical document of the patient to the Hospital. Accordingly, the NGO worker went to the Hospital and the Doctors examined the documents. Thereafter, I got a call from Dr. Saraswat who told me that the hospital does not have the facility to treat the patient and such facility is available only either at AIIMS or Apollo Hospital. Dr.Saraswat also told me that the chances of survival of the patient are very low but if treatment is not given immediately, the patient would certainly die. I was very much upset because at AIIMS, bed is not available and so far Apollo Hospital is concerned, though free beds are available but Hospital charges for medicines and consumables, which is impossible to be afforded by the patient’s father who is a daily rated Beldar. Interestingly, the NGO who persuaded the patient’s father to take her to Delhi for treatment, after the patient’s father left all hopes and prepared himself to see the demise of her daughter, agreed to bear the expensed towards medicines and consumables at Apollo Hospital. In these circumstances, the patient was got referred by LNJP Hospital for Apollo Hospital under EWS category. The patient was brought to Apollo Hospital in emergency ward; the doctors examined her and advised for admission in ICU. However, the patient’s attendant was told to take the patient to some other hospital as ICU was not available. The entire exercise and the hope once again came to halt. Dr.Saraswat words were taking rounds in my mind and I was worried that the poor patient would die for want of treatment. I tried to contact DR. R.N.Dass of Delhi Health Services but he was not picking up my call. A vague idea stuck to me that I should take a chance to seek help from Mr. Lalit Bhasin, Lawyer for the Apollo Hospital. I rang him up and also sent a SMS. After half-an-hour, I got a call from Mr. Bhasin and after I explained him the position, he assured me all the help. Within minutes thereof, I was informed by Mr. Dharamveer, another worker of the NGO available at Apollo Hospital that Doctors at emergency ward have got a message from Hospital’s Director Dr. Annupam Sibal that the Hospital would arrange all facilities for the patient. Radha, who was by then almost lying unattended at the emergency ward, suddenly being taken all rounds care of by the Hospital. She has now been admitted in ICU and is being provided all care and facilities by the Apollo Hospital. Thanks to Advocate Lalit Bhasin.