Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) issued show cause notices to two hospitals, including a government facility, on Wednesday for allegedly refusing admission to an acid attack survivor. This when there is a Supreme Court order clearly stating that all hospitals have to provide free medical treatment to acid attack survivors.
The action was taken after DCW received a complaint from the victim’s brother, alleging that Apollo Hospital and Army Research and Referral Hospital had refused to treat her.
The girl was referred to Delhi by a hospital in Bihar and her condition was extremely serious as she had suffered severe burns on her face and body and her wounds were deeply infected, DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal said.
The Commission also issued a notice to Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in Sarita Vihar where the victim was refused admission and made to wait for more than three hours.
“The complainant also states that even after the victim was admitted, before any treatment could be given, Rs 3.5 lakh as advance payment was demanded by your hospital from the victim and her family. This is a serious dereliction of the orders of the Supreme Court….Your inaction may have led to her condition worsening which may have posed a direct threat to her life,” the notice read.
Ms Maliwal also wrote letters to the Cabinet ministers asking them to accommodate the acid attack survivors in their respective department.
