Negligent Emergency Care Put My 7-Month-Old at Risk – A Disgrace to Private Healthcare Standards

I am compelled to express my deep disappointment and outrage at the appalling level of medical care my family and I experienced at your hospital’s emergency department. What unfolded during our visit not only fell drastically short of professional standards, but also placed my 7-month-old daughter’s health and safety at serious risk.

Upon our arrival at the emergency ward, I rushed to reception in a state of panic, as my infant daughter was non-responsive. Shockingly, not a single staff member showed urgency or concern. Despite the clear distress and the fact that this was an emergency situation, I had to initiate contact and request assistance—only to be told to sit and wait. I explained immediately that my baby was unresponsive, and once again, I was told to take a seat and wait.

It took 20 minutes before we were seen. At this point, my daughter remained unresponsive. Her vitals were eventually checked, and we were moved to a consultation room. The doctor who finally saw us asked what the issue was. We informed him she had been vomiting and had diarrhoea. Incredibly, he did not inquire about her feeding history, recent intake, or ask any relevant diagnostic questions. He made a presumptive judgment that it was a gastric issue and prescribed a rehydration solution—insisting that she drink the entire glass, an unrealistic expectation for an infant barely conscious.

Even more concerning, it took 40 minutes for the nurse to return with the rehydration solution. When she did, she mixed it with tap water—completely unacceptable for a 7-month-old. Upon questioning, we were told we would need to purchase bottled water from the hospital store, which was closed, and the vending machines were not functioning. I find it absolutely astonishing that a hospital, particularly one advertising itself as a private facility, does not have access to bottled or sterile water for infant patients. This is not only outrageous but also a basic failure in patient care and facility readiness.

Two hours passed without any follow-up from the attending doctor. Repeated attempts to get assistance were ignored. A nurse informed us that our daughter would not be discharged until she finished the rehydration solution—again, a completely unrealistic and medically questionable requirement under the circumstances. We requested to feed her the formula milk we brought with us and were initially refused, only for a different nurse to later allow it, at which point she finally drank.

During our time there, I overheard another distressed couple also asking about the doctor’s whereabouts, only to learn that he was in ICU. When I asked if there was only one emergency doctor on duty, I was told yes—and that he was not expected back anytime soon. This is not only unacceptable but dangerous. The complete lack of staff, coordination, and basic communication was shocking.

In the end, we left the hospital and proceeded to RHT, as we had received no meaningful care, no clarity, and no assurance that our child’s condition was being taken seriously. The level of negligence, disorganization, and disregard we encountered was not just disappointing—it was disgraceful. For a private hospital to operate with such a severe lack of empathy, urgency, and professionalism is both unacceptable and deeply troubling.

This experience has shaken my trust in your facility. I am demanding accountability and a full explanation as to how such serious failures in basic emergency care were allowed to occur. My daughter’s wellbeing was compromised due to this appalling standard of care, and that is simply indefensible.