Supreme Court to Frame Guidelines on Timely Emergency Care After Hospitals Denied Treatment to Child, Orders ₹12 Lakh Compensation

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed two private hospitals in Ghaziabad to pay a combined ₹12 lakh in compensation to the family of a four-year-old girl who died after both facilities refused to admit her despite her critical condition, and indicated it will frame national guidelines to prevent similar cases.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, hearing the matter as a suo motu case, recorded that St Joseph (Mariam) Hospital would pay ₹10 lakh and Khajan Singh Mannvi Health Care ₹2 lakh to the child's father, a daily-wage worker, within four weeks. Both amounts were recorded as voluntary payments after the bench proposed compensation during the hearing.

According to a Special Investigation Team report placed before the court, the child was alive when brought to both private hospitals but was turned away in each case, and was later declared dead on arrival at a government hospital. The bench had earlier strongly criticised the hospitals and their doctors over their conduct.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi, part of the bench, observed that timely medical intervention could significantly improve outcomes in several categories of critical injury. The court said it intends to issue broad guidelines for hospitals and law enforcement agencies on ensuring prompt care for victims of sexual assault and other medical emergencies.