Wed Sep 18 00:08:00 UTC 2024: ## Sangareddy Hospital Accused of Treating Dead Baby for Profit
**Sangareddy:** A 45-day-old baby’s death has sparked controversy in Sangareddy, with the parents accusing a private hospital of treating the deceased infant to rack up bills.
The parents of the deceased baby, Dashwik, allege that Shishu Raksha Hospital kept their son on life support even after he had passed away. They claim the doctors performed procedures and administered treatments while the baby was already dead, echoing a scene from the Telugu film ‘Tagore’ where a dead man is treated for financial gain.
The incident began on September 5 when the baby was admitted to the hospital for dengue. Despite being diagnosed with dengue, the hospital staff did not allow the parents to see the baby after September 7, claiming his condition was critical. On September 8, the hospital arranged an ambulance to transport the baby to Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad, allegedly without allowing the parents to touch him.
Upon reaching Niloufer Hospital, the baby was declared dead. Shockingly, doctors there estimated that the child had died 3-4 hours prior, while the parents were still at Shishu Raksha Hospital. The hospital staff had demanded the parents pay the entire bill (Rs.1.30 lakh) before allowing them to take the baby’s body to Hyderabad.
The parents, in a state of distress, buried the baby without conducting a postmortem. However, after investigating the case, the Deputy District Health and Medical Officer found irregularities in the hospital’s treatment of the baby. An ELISA test for dengue was not conducted before treatment began, raising further concerns.
Following the parents’ complaint, the district health officials have seized the hospital’s lab and are preparing to exhume the baby’s body for a postmortem on Thursday to determine the true cause of death. The police have registered an FIR against the hospital management for alleged negligence.
The incident, occurring in the district of Health Minister Damodara Rajanarasimha, has raised serious questions about the ethical conduct of private hospitals in the state.
First Piper 