’Naidu Hospital’s delay claimed Shruti’s life’

13-year-old was admitted too late alleges uncle of Pune's latest swine flu victim who passed away at Sassoon Hospital yesterday

'Naidu Hospital's delay claimed Shruti's life'

13-year-old was admitted too late alleges uncle of Pune's latest swine flu victim who passed away at Sassoon Hospital yesterday

Shekhar Kamthe blames the inordinate delay on part of the Naidu Hospital in admitting his niece Shruti Gawade (13), who died from swine flu at 1.30 am yesterday at the Sassoon Hospital.

Shruti, whose family lives in Narayan Peth, was a student of Std VIII at Ahilyadevi High School.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

"On August 4, we took her to a pediatrician, who prescribed some medicine, but her condition did not improve.

On Friday morning, we took her to Naidu Hospital because she felt dizzy. The doctors tested her and told us her body had developed a reaction to the medicines prescribed by the pediatrician. They asked us take her home, as there was no space in the hospital and assured us that we would learn in another days if she was suffering from H1N1 swine flu."

Put on oxygen
Kamthe added, "We got her admitted to KEM, where around 1.30 am, the hospital authorities asked us to take her to Sassoon Hospital, where the doctors put her on oxygen. They said they were waiting for her reports before they could begin treating her." The reports came on Saturday evening that confirmed that she had swine flu.

Condition serious
"Shruti walked to the ICU ward all by herself and around 7 pm, doctors told us that Shruti was serious. I wonder how her condition deteriorated so fast. At 1.30 am, a ward boy informed us that Shruti was no more," said a tearful Kamthe. Shruti's parents Bhanudas and Sarika, were too shocked to speak.

Dr Arun Jamkhar, dean of Sassoon Hospital, refused to comment. Dr Ashok Laddha, the state nodal officer for swine flu, did not pick up his phone despite repeated calls.

Several Narayan Peth residents have requested authorities to fumigate the area thoroughly.