Girl 'denied' treatment in Delhi govt hospital over Aadhaar; Union minister comes to rescue

NEW DELHI: A nine-year-old girl from Noida, who was allegedly denied treatment at a Delhi government hospital for not having Aadhaar, has been admitted to the Safdarjung hospital after Union Health Minister JP Nadda intervened.

The matter was highlighted by Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Manoj Tiwari, who had recently tweeted, hitting out at the Delhi government over the incident.

"Kejriwal ji why are you dividing the national capital of the country...JP Nadda ji no better thing will happen in this Navaratri if this girl gets treated (sic)," Tiwari had tweeted last Tuesday, tagging the Union health minister.

A few hours later, Nadda had tweeted back, saying the girl was brought to the Safdarjung hospital.

"Bitiya has been brought to the Safdarjung hospital. The doctors of the department concerned will treat her. I pray to goddess Jagdamba for the long life of our Bitiya," the minister had tweeted in Hindi.

Medical Superintendent of Safdarjung hospital Dr Rajendra Sharma said the girl suffered from frequent convulsions and was referred to the central government-run hospital for treatment.

"She is being treated by a paediatric neurologist," he said.

According to a news report, nine-year-old Priya from Noida was denied treatment at the Delhi government's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Narayan hospital for not having an Aadhaar card from Delhi.

A statement from the Safdarjung hospital said the girl was admitted to the hospital on October 10 and diagnosed by paediatric neurologist Dr Rachna Sehgal on the directions of the Union health minister.