Jharkhand toddler dies as father can’t pay for treatment

Ranchi, Aug 21 (IANS) A one-year-old boy died at a hospital here on Monday as his father was short of funds, according to Jharkhand Police.

The boy, Shyam, was brought to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) for treatment on Sunday after he suffered head injuries in a fall.

According to the boy’s father Santosh Kumar, the doctors had asked for a CT scan.

The cost of a CT scan is Rs 1,350 and Santosh had only Rs 1,300. He requested the lab staff to conduct the scan despite the shortage of funds, the police said.

But Shyam was refused the scan and he subsequently died.

In another similar incident on Sunday, a mother and her unborn child died in Gumla district.

Janki Devi was admitted in the Gumla Sadar hospital for delivery.

However, the hospital did not perform the operation and referred her to RIMS.

According to Janki Devi’s husband Munna, the hospital management took three hours to complete the paper work. She died while waiting for its completion.

The opposition parties have expressed concern over the state’s poor healthcare scenario.

In some cases, families were not even provided an ambulance to carry a dead body home.