Assam: Infant With Swine Flu Dies After Relatives Refuse Treatment by Hospital in Hailakandi Dist

Hailakandi: In a shocking incident, an infant suffering from Swine Flu died in Assam's Hailakandi district after the relatives accompanying the patient refused to get the baby treated at a hospital in the state, officials said on Monday, as per media reports. 

The 15-month-old infant has been identified as Farhana Khanam.

Dr Bhaskar Gupta, Principal of Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) told a news agency  that the infant was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition. 

He added that the doctors advised to put the patient on ventilator support but the relatives accompanying the patient refused the treatment and took away the child

The Joint Director of Health Services in the Hailakandi district, Dr Alakananda Nath stated that Khanam was a resident of the Saidpur area in the Lala neighbourhood of the district.

Nath added that the patient was admitted at the civil hospital in Hailakandi; however, the doctors later advised to admit her at SMCH for advanced treatment.

She stated that when the relatives of the patient brought back the patient to the home without providing the complete the treatment to the infant, she unfortunately died. 

She further stated that they received a total of five cases of swine flu at SMCH and one patient has already recovered and sent home. 

"It is more or less like the common flu. But people having high diabetes, respiratory distress and immunosuppressant patients may face difficulties in combating swine flu," she added.