Tura, April 25: An 11-year-old girl from Azigre village in Dadenggre Civil Sub-Division of Meghalaya died while being taken back home after allegedly being refused admission at Tura Civil Hospital and a private healthcare facility due to lack of available beds.
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| Tura Civil Hospital, Tura. (File Photo) |
The child, identified as Netera Sangma, was suspected to be suffering from rabies after reportedly being bitten by a dog several months earlier. According to her father, Nilstone A. Marak, the incident occurred around January or February but the girl did not inform her family out of fear and even asked her friends not to disclose it.
Her condition came to light only after she suddenly fell ill late Tuesday night and began vomiting repeatedly. The following morning, she was taken to a local dispensary run by Sisters, where she initially claimed she had been bitten by a spider and received treatment accordingly. She was advised to return if her condition did not improve.
When her health worsened, the family took her to Dadenggre Community Health Centre on Friday. Medical staff there reportedly suspected rabies based on her symptoms, after which the girl admitted that she had been bitten by a dog months earlier.
The family was then advised to shift her to Tura Civil Hospital, and were informed that the hospital had been alerted. However, upon arrival they were reportedly told that no beds were available and were redirected to Holy Cross Hospital.
According to the father, the private hospital also declined admission citing lack of vacant beds and absence of specialised isolation facilities for infectious cases. They were advised to return to the civil hospital and seek further assistance.
With no option left, the family began the journey back to Dadenggre that night. During the journey, the girl’s condition deteriorated further and she died before they could reach home. She was the only child of her parents and would have turned 12 in a few weeks.
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The incident has triggered concern locally over hospital preparedness and emergency response for suspected infectious disease cases. Medical observers noted that while rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, proper infection-control measures and protective equipment can help healthcare workers safely handle such cases.
Experts also pointed out that hospitals routinely use protective gear such as masks, gloves, gowns and face shields - widely deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic—to manage high-risk infectious conditions.
The case has raised questions over whether adequate facilities and compassionate care were provided to the critically ill child.
