Lawmakers demand action after child’s death due to lack of treatment

KATHMANDU: Lawmakers have drawn the government’s attention to the death of a young girl at Kanti Children’s Hospital due to a lack of treatment.

Five-year-old Rejisha Gopali passed away outside the emergency ward of Kanti Children’s Hospital on Monday evening while waiting for her turn to see the doctor.

Speaking at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Thursday, Nepali Congress (NC) lawmaker Gagan Kumar Thapa recalled that during his tenure as the health minister, the government had implemented standards to ensure that no one would die due to a lack of treatment. “However, negligence still persists. The government must respond to serious incidents like the death of this young girl due to inadequate medical care,” he added.

Similarly, CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula blamed the hospital’s negligence for the girl’s death. “I request the government to investigate this incident and provide compensation to the victim’s family,” Bartaula demanded.

Bartaula also urged the Ministry of Health and Population to ensure seamless services at healthcare institutions.

Likewise, Dr. Chandra Karki of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of investment in expanding physical infrastructure at government hospitals. “This is an unfortunate incident, but we shouldn’t solely point fingers at healthcare professionals and hospital administration,” she added.