DCW writes to Satyendar Jain on hospitals ‘refusing’ to admit acid attack victim

DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal wrote to Jain saying the victim, who suffered acid burns that got infected, was refused admission at both the hospitals when her family approached them on September 29 at 10 am.

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Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Monday wrote to Health Minister Satyendar Jain seeking punitive action against Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and Army R&R Hospital for allegedly denying admission to a 15-year-old acid attack victim.

DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal wrote to Jain saying the victim, who suffered acid burns that got infected, was refused admission at both the hospitals when her family approached them on September 29 at 10 am. The girl, who had injuries on her face and body, was admitted to a hospital at 7:30 pm, only after she and government’s nodal officer, R N Das, intervened in the matter, said Maliwal. After receiving a complaint, the DCW issued notices to both hospitals.

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“Army R&R Hospital has admitted that admission was denied to the victim. The hospital has given it in writing to the victim that since she is not entitled as a dependent, she is being refused admission. Moreover, the hospital in its reply to the commission has stated that the victim was given an option of getting admission as a non-entitled case which was however, not given in writing to the victim when the admission was denied,” DCW said in a statement issued Monday.

It added, “Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in its reply to the commission has also accepted that the victim was made to wait in the ambulance for several hours. The hospital has refuted allegations that the patient was denied treatment and that money was demanded from her.”

The family approached the DCW after being denied admission at Apollo hospital. The family was about to go to Safdarjung Hospital after waiting for three-and-a-half hours outside Apollo, DCW officials said. The girl is now receiving treatment at Apollo.

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