Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A 60-year-old burn victim could not get proper treatment till 9 hours after the incident on Saturday. She was taken to AIIMS, Bhopal, for treatment at about 9 am, which referred her to Hamidia Hospital where she was finally treated at about 6 pm. She was denied treatment as she didn’t carry Adhaar card.

According to report, Susheela, 60, is disabled and worked as staff with a contractor near Nikhil Bungalow on Hoshangabad Road.

On November 16, she was preparing tea in morning when her sari caught fire. Labourers rushed to save her. She was taken to AIIMS, Bhopal, where she was administered medicine and sent to Hamidia Hospital. Labourers brought her to Hamidia Hospital in noon but Hamidia Hospital burn unit did not admit her immediately because she did not have Adhaar card.

After repeated requests by labourers, the doctors gave her treatment at about 6 when she was admitted to burn ward. Burn unit head Dr Arun Bhatnagar said, “ Adhaar card is mandatory but usually it does not happen that patient is not admitted on this ground. Now, she has been admitted and treatment has started.

Her granddaughter who in private job in Indore has come. We allowed her to meet grandmother Susheela.” When contacted, AIIMS burn unit doctor Dr Rahul Dubepuria said, “Normally, patients are not referred from AIIMS to any other hospital. But due to non-availability of beds in ICU, we had no other option but to refer her to Hamidia Hospital. But we gave her primary treatment.”