LAHORE, Feb 6: A one-year-old baby died allegedly owing to reaction to a medicine administered to him by junior doctors through a drip at Children’s Hospital on Monday.

Saad Ahmad was taken to the hospital by his father Shabbir Dogar of Walton with minor complaint of cough only.

The family alleged that the baby died from severe negligence on the part of the junior doctors who administered drug through a drip which later proved fatal.

Witnesses and the victim’s family said later a group of doctors led by office-bearers of Young Doctors Association, Punjab, physically assaulted Shabbir Dogar and his two younger brothers when they protested the death.

Sources said the incidence of torturing attendants of patients in state-run hospitals was going on unchecked.

“Particularly, doctors belonging to the Punjab YDA turn furious whenever death of a patient occurs owing to medical error and the attendants level allegations against doctors,” one of the sources said.

In the incident of Children’s Hospital, the witnesses said, the doctors locked the main gate of the hospital in the presence of the police, snatched keys of Shabbir’s car and refused to allow the aggrieved family to take the body.

“My baby’s body remained unattended in my car for three hours as the furious doctors were forcing me to sign the hospital documents to avoid legal action,” Dogar told Dawn.

He said they tortured him and his two younger brothers in the presence of the policemen who made no effort to rescue them despite repeated requests.

Shabbir said Saad was suffering from minor cough and before going to office he took him to the hospital for treatment.

When he came to emergency department, a junior doctor administered him medicine through a drip. He said another on-duty doctor asked his colleague to remove the drip when he found Saad’s face started swelling.

“Minutes later Saad’s heartbeat turned abnormal and doctors immediately shifted him to another department for intensive care but to no avail,” he said and added that his son died at 4:30pm and the doctors handed over the body at 7:30pm after getting his signatures and thumb impression on the documents forcibly.

They continued exerting pressure for three hours on him to get signatures on the terms and conditions of their choice, Shabbir said, adding that as no body came to rescue them he had no option except to accept their demand to get body of his son.

Children Hospital Medical Superintendent Ahsan Waheed Rathore denied allegations of medical negligence saying that the baby was suffering from cardiac disease. He was attended by senior doctors. Unfortunately, the minor could not survive, he said.

He also rejected the allegation of the victim family saying that father of the baby signed documents ‘happily’.

Mr Rathore said no young doctor stopped the victim family from taking custody of the body.