This Article is From Aug 13, 2009

Pune girl dies of swine flu, kin to sue hospital

Pune girl dies of swine flu, kin to sue hospital
Pune:

The devastated family of 14-year-old Pune girl Reeda Sheikh, who died from swine flu on Monday night, has blamed the private hospital where she was being treated for her death.

"If we had known there were the slightest symptoms, we would have taken her to Naidu," said her aunt Ayesha Sheikh.

Reeda is the first person to die from the virus in India and the family says it's a clear case of misdiagnosis. The young girl was not only treated too late, but treated for the wrong illness.

"We are going to sue Jehangir Hospital for damages. We are going to take civil action, we are going to take criminal action," said Reeda's family lawyer Asif Lampwala.

Reeda Sheikh's family is torn between pain and anger after they lost their daughter.

On July 21, Reeda complained of cold and fever. The family doctor gave her medicines and she was back to school. Two days later, her condition worsened and she was admitted to Jehangir Hospital -- part of the Apollo Group.

Here, she was diagnosed with pneumonia.

Two days later, there was no improvement. Parents were told that Reeda had acute respiratory disorder. Her swabs were sent for swine flu test to Ruby Hall Clinic -- another private hospital not equipped to carry out H1N1 tests.

Typically, swine flu tests results take 24 hours. Ruby returned the samples in just one hour, declaring them negative.

By July 31 Reeda was critical. It was then that Jehangir Hospital sent her swabs to the National Institute of Virology that tested her positive.

The family shifted Reeda to the government-run Naidu Hospital equipped to treat swine flu, but it was too late.

None of her Reeda's friends, classmates or family members had swine flu. That is perhaps why an educated family in the epicentre of a swine flu outbreak did not think it necessary to run a test. But what is the hospital's excuse?

"We have issued show cause notices to Jehangir Hospital and Ruby Clinic," said Maharashtra Health Minister Rajendra Shingane.

"Whatever Jehangir Hospital has done is correct. We would have done the same thing," said Parvez Grant, Medical Director, Ruby Hospital.

It is a death that has galvanised the government machinery into action. Pune and Satara have been brought under the Epidemic Act. But more than anything else the negligence involved in Reeda's death has become the key focus.

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