Mumbai: A 12-year-old injured child was allegedly denied timely medical treatment at the BMC-run M.W. Desai Hospital in Malad, forcing the child’s mother to travel nearly 12 kilometres to another hospital, exposing serious lapses in emergency healthcare services at civic hospitals.
Referral to another hospital
A 12-year-old injured child was allegedly denied treatment at Malad’s M.W. Desai Hospital, forcing the mother to rush the child 12 km to HBT Trauma Care Hospital. Hospital staff reportedly cited absence of an orthopedic doctor. Superintendent Dr. Arvind Ugale said an inquiry will be conducted and denied deliberate negligence.
Delay in emergency care
According to the family, the injured child was made to wait in the emergency ward for a considerable time, but no doctor attended to the case, nor was any primary treatment administered. Hospital staff later informed the mother that no doctor was available and referred the child to the Hinduhṛiday Balasaheb Thackeray (HBT) Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when the child fell from the staircase of the residential building and sustained serious injuries to the hand and leg. The mother rushed the child to M.W. Desai Hospital around 7 pm, seeking immediate medical attention. However, due to the absence of an orthopedic specialist, the doctor on duty reportedly advised referral to another hospital.
Left with no alternative, the mother transported her injured child to Jogeshwari—12 km away—during peak traffic hours in Mumbai’s western suburbs.
Previous complaints
The incident comes amid earlier allegations against M.W. Desai Hospital, including failure to maintain a Medico-Legal Case (MLC) register and directing patients elsewhere for MLC documentation.
This is not an isolated case. In December last year, a severely injured woman allegedly waited for two hours in the emergency department without receiving treatment before being referred to the same trauma hospital due to a lack of doctors.
Denying the allegations, hospital superintendent Dr. Arvind Ugale said all staff members have been instructed not to turn away patients. He maintained that such an incident was unlikely but confirmed that an inquiry would be conducted. He added that patients should ensure they contact the doctor on duty and not rely solely on nursing staff.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
