A 20-year-old woman died at the Durg District Hospital on Monday evening, triggering serious allegations of medical negligence from her grieving family. Relatives claim that despite her critically low haemoglobin level, hospital staff failed to provide even a single unit of blood, despite repeated pleas.

The deceased, identified as Deepika Gaada, a resident of Maroda in Bhilai, was suffering from sickle cell anaemia. According to family members, she had been unwell for several days with complaints of severe pain in her limbs, waist, and body. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to her admission via ambulance late on Saturday night.

Critical Condition Ignored?

Doctors attending to Deepika found her haemoglobin level had dropped to around 5 grams. Family sources said hospital staff advised arranging three units of blood. However, being from an economically weaker background, the family struggled to find donors immediately. Deepika’s mother reportedly begged the staff and blood bank personnel to administer at least one unit from the hospital stock so treatment could begin, but her requests went unheeded.

“She kept pleading in front of doctors and staff for blood. No one listened,” a relative told reporters, describing the mother’s desperate attempts outside the ward.

Deepika breathed her last on Monday evening during treatment. Her body was later taken home in a hearse as the family mourned outside the hospital gate.

 Civil Surgeon Responds

Civil Surgeon Dr. Ashish Minz acknowledged that Deepika was a known sickle cell anaemia patient with O-positive blood group and critically low haemoglobin. He admitted that in an emergency, hospital stock could have provided 1-2 units even if relatives could not arrange donors immediately.

However, Dr. Minz rejected the claim that blood shortage was the sole reason for her death. He noted that ICU doctors suspected aspiration — where food or liquid might have entered the lungs — as a possible contributing factor. “The exact cause of death will only be clear after the post-mortem report and further investigation,” he said.

The Civil Surgeon revealed that he was not personally informed about the urgency of the blood requirement at the time. “Had the matter been brought to my notice, we would have tried to arrange at least one unit,” he added.

 Probe Ordered

Taking the family’s complaint seriously, the hospital administration has formed a team to investigate the matter. Strict action has been promised against anyone found guilty of negligence. The family has also submitted a formal application to the Civil Surgeon demanding a thorough probe.

Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic blood disorder prevalent in parts of Chhattisgarh, often leading to chronic anaemia and pain crises. Health experts note that timely blood transfusion in such critical drops of haemoglobin can be life-saving.

 Public Anger and Hospital Concerns

The incident has once again raised questions about blood availability and emergency response protocols in government hospitals of the region. Similar cases of alleged negligence have surfaced in the past, with families often complaining about the lack of prompt support in life-threatening situations.

Local residents in Bhilai and Durg expressed concern over the functioning of the district hospital, which serves a large population including industrial workers and low-income families.

As the investigation proceeds, the family awaits answers. Deepika’s relatives hope that her death leads to systemic improvements so no other patient suffers a similar fate due to delays in basic emergency care. 

Post-mortem reports and the findings of the inquiry committee are expected to provide more clarity in the coming days.