Timely blood transfusion could have saved her life: Durg civil surgeon

A 20-year-old woman suffering from a sickle cell anaemia crisis died at Durg district hospital allegedly after failing to receive blood in time, prompting the hospital administration to order an inquiry and warn of strict action if negligence is established. Civil Surgeon Dr A K Minj said the woman’s life “could possibly have been saved” had blood been arranged on time. Amid allegations by the victim’s family that the hospital failed to provide a unit of blood, the Civil Surgeon said the family had been asked to arrange blood donors but was unable to do so. “They should have approached either the Resident Medical Officer or me and requested blood. We would have arranged it,” Dr Minj said when asked about the case.

“Unko agar blood chadh jata, to unki life save ho sakti thi. Jo bhi doshi paye jayenge, unke upar kadi karvayi ki jayegi (Had she received the blood transfusion in time, her life could have been saved). Whoever is found responsible will face strict action,” said Civil Surgeon Dr A K Minj following the death.

Amid allegations by the victim’s family that the hospital failed to provide a unit of blood, allegedly leading to her death, the Civil Surgeon said the family had been asked to arrange blood donors but was unable to do so. “They should have approached either the Resident Medical Officer or me and requested blood. We would have arranged it,” Dr Minj said when asked about the case.

The woman died during treatment at the Durg District Hospital on Monday evening, triggering allegations of serious medical negligence from her family, particularly her mother. The family alleged that despite a critical drop in her haemoglobin levels, the hospital management failed to provide even a single unit of blood, resulting in her death.

The deceased, identified as Deepika Gada, a resident of Maroda in Bhilai, had been suffering from severe body pain for several days. She was rushed to the hospital by ambulance on Saturday after her condition deteriorated. Following medical examinations, doctors informed the family that she was severely anaemic and required an immediate blood transfusion.

Deepika’s mother alleged that hospital staff asked the family to arrange three units of blood. Owing to their poor financial condition, they were unable to arrange donors immediately.

“The doctors told us that her haemoglobin level had dropped to around 5 grams. We repeatedly pleaded with the hospital staff and the blood bank to provide at least one unit of blood to begin treatment, assuring them that we would arrange the remaining units later, but no one listened to us,” the mother said.

Dr Minj confirmed that the patient was suffering from sickle cell anaemia and that her haemoglobin level had fallen to 5 g/dL. Her blood group was O positive. “The family should have come to me or the RMO without wasting time,” Dr Minj told TOI.

Dr Minj also acknowledged that, considering the emergency, the hospital management could have provided one or two units of blood from its available stock even if the family was unable to arrange a donor immediately.