Sola Civil Hospital doctor accused of refusing to treat child; Gujarat health minister orders probe

A female resident doctor at Ahmedabad’s Sola Civil Hospital allegedly refused to treat a young girl suffering from fever and cough after an argument with her relatives. The doctor is also accused of slapping a patient’s family member. A video of the incident, recorded by the child’s uncle, has since gone viral on social media.

According to reports, the child’s uncle, Ajay Chavda, had brought his niece to the paediatric department of Sola Civil Hospital around 9 p.m. on Sunday. The girl had been unwell for several days. Chavda’s brother, who works at the hospital as an electrician, accompanied them.

Argument over thermometer placement escalates

When the family arrived, no doctor was present in the department. After some time, a doctor arrived and noticed that a thermometer had been placed under the child’s arm over her T-shirt. The doctor reportedly told the child’s father that the thermometer “should not be placed like this. It must be put inside the T-shirt.”

The child’s father explained that a hospital staff member had positioned it that way. The doctor then told him to “ask the nurse to put it inside the T-shirt.” When he requested the doctor to do it herself, she allegedly raised her voice, saying, “It’s your daughter, and you don’t even know how to place a thermometer?”

When the relatives asked for her name, she did not respond. Ajay Chavda then began recording a video of the exchange, during which the doctor allegedly struck his phone, injuring his hand and his brother’s stomach.

Doctor reportedly says she ‘will not treat’ the child

In the video, the doctor can be heard saying, “You have misbehaved with me, so I will not treat your child. Go wherever you want—even to the Chief Minister…. I will not treat her.”

The family was asked to wait outside after the confrontation. The child was later taken inside for treatment.

Excerpt from the viral video

Resident doctor: “Put the mobile down…”

Relative: “Why? Why should we put our mobile down?”

(Security guard intervenes)

Security guard: “What happened?”

Resident doctor: “I will not treat your child because you have misbehaved with me.”

Relative: “What misbehaviour did we do?”

(The doctor then resumes work without replying.)

Relative: “This doctor hit me on my stomach…”

State health minister orders inquiry

Following the circulation of the video, state Health Minister Praful Panseria directed the Health Secretary to conduct an immediate inquiry.

“If any medical employee or officer is found misbehaving with a patient, a fair investigation will be conducted and suitable action will be taken,” Panseria said.

Meanwhile, the superintendent of Sola Civil Hospital has launched a separate internal investigation into the incident.