By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 27: Shillong Civil Hospital has once again come under scrutiny following a disturbing case of alleged medical negligence involving a 17-year-old student, raising serious questions about emergency healthcare delivery in the government-run hospital.
The 17-year-old girl, a resident of Sohryngkham village and a Class XI student of Brookside School, was allegedly left without proper medical attention for nearly three days despite being admitted as an emergency case with critical symptoms.
According to her family, the girl fell seriously ill on Saturday whilst staying at her school hostel, complaining of a severe headache and repeated vomiting.
Alarmed by her condition, school authorities immediately contacted her parents, who took her to Ganesh Das Hospital. Doctors there recorded her blood pressure at 160 and provided initial treatment. However, due to the non-availability of MRI facilities, she was referred to Shillong Civil Hospital for further investigation.
The girl was admitted to Shillong Civil Hospital on Sunday evening as an emergency patient. An MRI was conducted and the report was received on Monday. However, her parents alleged that no doctor explained the findings or discussed a treatment plan, even as her condition reportedly continued to deteriorate.
With Monday being Republic Day, the family claims that the girl did not receive any medical intervention. Her mother alleged that whilst doctors were present on the hospital premises for Republic Day celebrations, no clinical care was provided to her daughter. Treatment was finally initiated only on Tuesday, nearly three days and two nights after her admission.
During this period, the student’s mother also observed what she described as a broader pattern of neglect in the ward. She claimed that a woman from Mairang, admitted to the adjacent bed, had allegedly not received treatment for almost a week. Shockingly, the patient’s attendant was reportedly her minor daughter, estimated to be around 15 years old, who was forced to care for her critically ill mother without any institutional support.
The family further alleged that other women patients from Laitkor, admitted in the same ward, were also suffering without timely medical attention, suggesting that the issue was not an isolated incident but indicative of a systemic failure.
Fearing for their daughter’s life, the parents have decided to shift her to Woodland Hospital, expressing serious concern that continued treatment at Shillong Civil Hospital could further endanger her health. As of Tuesday, the student was still admitted in Bed No. 13 of the ward located in the building adjacent to the Cancer Block.
Beyond the immediate health risks, the family says the delay in treatment has had severe academic consequences. The family stated that the student was unable to appear for her examinations due to her illness, potentially forcing her to repeat an academic year and placing additional emotional and financial strain on the family.
The incident has also raised serious legal and ethical concerns under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (amended 2021). Legal experts point out that the case involves a 17-year-old child allegedly denied timely medical care and a 15-year-old minor compelled to act as a caregiver within a government hospital, both of whom fall under the category of “children in need of care and protection”.
Attempts to get a reaction from Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla failed as his mobile number could not be reached.
