Preventable death

Fathers are being prosecuted for abusing their children. Mothers are being prosecuted for neglecting their children. Teens are being caught and jailed for dumping their newborns in the drains or dumpsters. But never have we heard children are being prosecuted for abandoning their old, sick parents and leaving them on the street to beg.

It is expected upon us to look after our families and make sure that they live as long as they could. If one falls ill, treatment should be sought. Unless they are terminally ill, then maybe we could help them to go as painlessly as possible by giving them adequate analgesia (painkillers) during the last moments of their lives.

Sometimes when we fall sick or we have injured any part of our body, a simple visit to the clinic/hospital might help. And most of the time, a simple week-course of antibiotics or medicine or nebulised gas helps to make us feel better. For all we know, it helps to keep us live longer. Coz even a simple untreated infection could cause further damage if not eradicated. People die everyday for delayed treatment. But people never learn.

When husbands decide to go against all odds and put their wives or newborns at risk by delivering at home with no skilled attendant present and no appropriate monitoring available if anything goes haywire, I strongly feel that they should be punished for 'intentionally causing harm' if anyone dies. Coz sometimes, a rapidly breathing newborn needs a simple help of oxygen after birth. Or a mother in labour who is bleeding due to a retained placenta needs it manually removed by a skilled and medically trained personnel to stop her bleeding to death. Or a mother in labour for hours with no sign of delivering the baby might need some assistance using a pair of forceps or vacuum that is only available in the hospital to prevent the baby from asphyxia or distress. Coz if no treatment is sought, a simple preventable death ensues. And it is heartbreaking to hear these sane adults saying something like 'when it is meant to be, it is meant to be' when someone dies at home after delaying and refusing a simple treatment that is life-saving.

To me, this is negligence of the highest degree. And they should be prosecuted just like a mother who lives her child in the dumpster to die. They are no different to each other.