(MENAFN) The parents of 5-year-old Muhammad Ayaan, who passed away on March 15 in Sheffield Children’s Hospital, claimed that they heard medical staff laughing as their son’s life support machine was turned off. Ayaan had a history of respiratory difficulties as well as a rare genetic condition that causes developmental delays. He was admitted to the hospital on March 5 with breathing difficulties and died just over a week later.
“When the machine was switched off at 2:30 a.m., we had a lot of family members there. There was laughter coming from staff members. We were so upset,” Ayaan’s father Haroon Rashid told The Independent.
“There was no one else on the ward apart from the staff and one other small child behind the curtain from us,” he added.
“Surely the staff knew Ayaan’s machine was about to be turned off. They continued laughing after my relative asked them to stop.
“A child’s life was coming to an end. It was highly insensitive. We are living with our son’s loss, but we are very, very angry about how the staff behaved.”
Ayaan’s mother Fakhra Dibi also described a similar incident when she was told that her son’s condition was deteriorating a few days before his death, The Independent reported.^1
Dibi claims she was given the news in a ward full of laughing staff, with children and other parents in the background.
“My wife rang me crying after the doctor broke the news,” Rashid said.
“They should have taken her to a private room, not told her like that in front of everyone. It’s hugely insensitive,” he added.
Rashid, a taxi driver and father of four, has filed a formal complaint, which also includes allegations about the standards of care during Ayaan’s time in the hospital as well as a claim that he was contacted for a follow-up appointment for his son 10 days after he died. The 41-year-old further claims that hospital staff had been “dismissive” to some of the concerns he raised about his son during his care, The Independent reported.
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said, “We cannot comment on individual cases, however, we always take any concerns raised very seriously and encourage families to contact us directly so that we can investigate fully.”
The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with many expressing sympathy for the grieving family and calling for a thorough investigation into the matter. It has also raised concerns about the treatment of patients and their families in hospitals and the need for healthcare providers to prioritize sensitivity and compassion in their interactions with patients and their loved ones.
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