Thane: In a shocking incident, a 12-year-old boy from Thane's Bhiwandi area died weeks after being bitten by a stray dog. The incident has prompted local MLA Rais Shaikh to allege negligence by the government hospital where the boy was admitted.
What Happened?
The incident occurred on January 10, when a dog bit the boy from the Bhiwandi area, following which his family took him to the state-run IGM Hospital in the area. The body, identified as Hamid Saddam Khan, from Bhiwandi's Eidgah, was then referred to Thane Civil Hospital and later brought back to the same Bhiwandi facility, news agency PTI reported.
According to the report, the boy’s condition deteriorated after a few weeks, and he was then rushed to a civic hospital in Mumbai, where he died on January 30.
Bhiwandi MLA allege negligence of the government hospital
Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh alleged that the boy died due to the unavailability of anti-rabies medicine at IGM Hospital. “Stray dogs and resultant deaths” have become a concern in the Bhiwandi area.
Rais Shaikh, in his letter to CM Fadnavis, claimed that the boy had to be shifted to another hospital due to the non-availability of necessary anti-rabies drugs (ARS/Anti Rabies Serum). "Unfortunately, a serious matter has come to light that the person concerned died due to a delay in this treatment. Also, the death of an innocent child in the attack of stray dogs in the Idgah Road area of Bhiwandi city is a very serious and infuriating matter," he wrote in the letter.
He further claimed that, in this incident, four other minor children have also been bitten by dogs and their lives are in danger.
He added, "I have followed up with the concerned administration several times in the past regarding the regular availability of anti-rabies drugs in the said hospital. However, to date, the situation appears to be "'as is', which is a matter of great concern."
Calling it a serious lapse in the public health system, he added, the incident is extremely unfortunate and condemnable that a citizen lost his life due to negligence. The MLA demanded "a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter."
Doctors at IGM Claim Otherwise
However, the government hospital where the child was taken immediately after the dog bite said he was given anti-rabies shots and tetanus injections. A doctor from IGM Hospital said the boy was given anti-rabies and tetanus injections after he was brought there for the first time. A local doctor told PTI that it is still not clear if the 12-year-old died due dog bite or some other reason.
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