October 22, 2007	Monday	Shawwal 9, 1428

KASUR, Oct 21: A newborn and a 10-year-old boy have lost their lives because of the alleged negligence of the doctors and paramedics and lack of facilities at the local District Headquarters Hospital during the last 24 hours.

Reports said the wife of one Zahid of Bhasarpura locality, Amina Bibi, gave birth to a baby boy at the DHQ hospital following a surgery on Saturday afternoon. The newborn’s condition was declared critical by the doctor on duty, Dr Qamar Arshaad, who directed a nurse to place the child in the only incubator available at the hospital as he was having breathing problem.

Zahid said the baby also needed a sucker which was not available and the nurse asked the family to arrange a heater for the newborn as she had lost the keys of the room where the incubator was placed.

When the newborn’s condition deteriorated late in the night the only functioning oxygen cylinder was provided and that too without the mask. The newborn died soon after. The mother, who is also critical, has not been visited even once by the gynaecologist.

Zahid said it was difficult to even stand inside the gynaecology ward because of the smoke caused by garbage burning alongside its back wall.

Meanwhile, a 10-year-old boy, Muhammad Shakeel, son of Muhammad Ali, who was brought to the hospital emergency with problematic lungs from Kot Murad Khan early in on Sunday also died, allegedly because of doctors’ negligence.

The father of the deceased told Dawn that his son was not provided any kind of treatment other than oxygen. The doctor on duty, Muhammad Mumtaz, referred the boy to a hospital in Lahore in the noon but he could not be shifted there as there was no oxygen cylinder in the ambulance. The boy expired. The medical superintendent and his deputy were not available to explain the cause for mismanagement.

However, the EDO (Health) claimed he would take action against negligent staff on receiving a `proper’ complaint. He said there was a powerful mafia operating in the hospital and he was already fighting them.