KASUR: An eight-year-old girl, who was mauled by a pack of stray dogs some two weeks ago at Rodaykay village, succumbed to her critical injuries on Sunday, allegedly because doctors at various public hospitals kept referring her to other health facilities and a private hospital simply refused to admit her for her family not being able to afford the treatment expenses.

Taking notice of the incident, Punjab interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has sought a report from the district administration.

Narrating his plight, Muhammad Abid, father of the victim, a poor tailor, says his daughter Mehreen (8) was attacked by a pack of dogs when she was on her way to a tuition center in the village, some two weeks ago. As a result, the girl sustained dog-bite injuries to her neck, face, belly, legs and chest.

Doctors at six public hospitals, instead of giving medical aid, just referred the girl to other health facility to avoid responsibility. She could survive, if she was given proper treatment, said

Abid says that immediately after the incident, she was rushed to a private clinic in the village where the doctor referred her to the Kasur District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in a critical condition.

He alleged that the doctors at the DHQ Hospital, after giving her first aid referred her to the Children’s Hospital Lahore.

He claimed that the doctors at the Children’s Hospital discharged the patient the next day, referring her to the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) near Data Darbar.

Abid says that the IDH doctors again referred the patient to the Children’s Hospital.

However, he says that he took his daughter to the Ittefaq Hospital, Lahore, where he was advised to move the patient to the Services Hospital, as he could not afford treatment at the private facility (Ittefaq Hospital).

The sobbing father says that on Sunday, when he took his daughter to the Services Hospital Lahore, the doctors declared her dead.

Denying Abid’s claim, District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Laeeque Ahmed says the victim was brought to the Kasur DHQ Hospital on April 15 and was given three dozes of the rabies vaccine after the prescribed intervals on April 15, 18 and 21.

He says that, however, when the girl was brought to the hospital again on April 25, her condition had deteriorated but there were no symptoms of rabies.

According to Dr Laeeq, the patient was suffering from viral encephalitis/meningitis and was referred to the Children’s Hospital the same day.

Justifying referring her to Lahore hospital, he said the DHQ hospital was a primary health facility, while the patient needed specialised care at a better hospital.

However, he admitted that the victim was not given anti-tetanus doze to protect her against viral encephalitis/meningitis, that later caused her death.

Prof Junaid Rashid, head of the Children’s Hospital Paeds department and registrar says the patient, Mehreen, was admitted to the facility at 2.30 am, and was diagnosed with rabies encephalitis.

He says the girl was very sick at the time of admission and was given emergency supportive treatment.

“The patient was examined by the duty doctors who discussed the case with the senior registrars of the emergency and neurology departments, besides senior deputy medical superintendent of the night shift,” he says.

Prof Rashid says it was decided to shift the patient in the morning to the Infectious Diseases Hospital (near Data Darba), a specialised facility for the rabies treatment, in the Children’s Hospital’s ambulance.

However, he claims, the girl’s parents left the hospital with the patient on their own early next morning around 6am. The registrar says no other treatment was due or to be given to the patient in the Children’s Hospital. “Every possible care was already given,” he claims.

Local say over a dozen incidents of dog bite had occurred in the area in the last few days, but the tehsil administration was tuning a blind eye to the issue despite repeated complaints.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2023