By Express News Service

MALAPPURAM: A four-year-old girl from a tribal family died after she was allegedly denied treatment at the district hospital in Nilambur. The deceased is Raji Krishna, 4, daughter of Palan, a resident of Edakkode Colony, Mampad.

Aruma PT, Nilambur municipal councillor, said the child was brought to the hospital with fever four days back. The doctor sent her back home after prescribing medicines for three days. But, on Wednesday morning, the girl again fell ill, showing symptoms of nausea, vomiting and fever. Her parents then took her to a private hospital, but the medical staff there asked them to take her to the same hospital where she was previously treated.

The parents took the child to the district hospital, but the medical staff there refused to admit her citing unavailability of a child specialist on the day and sent her home after giving medicines for one more day. Before reaching home, her health deteriorated and the parents brought her back to the district hospital. However, the medical staff could not save the child who died in the evening.

Following her death, people from the colony staged a protest in front of the hospital demanding action against the doctors for not properly treating the girl. Aruma, who joined the protest, said complaints would be filed against the doctors at the police station and the district medial office. The issue will also be brought to the attention of Nilambur MLA P V Anwar, she said.