A 2-month-old baby tragically died after choking on milk, reportedly due to being denied treatment at Matara District New Hospital in Kamburugamuwa on July 3, the Daily Mirror reported.
The infant, who had been fed milk early that morning, developed complications, prompting her parents to rush her to the hospital in a three-wheeler. Upon arrival, hospital security personnel informed the parents that the emergency room was not operational and refused to accept the patient.
The Daily Mirror reported that desperate, parents pleaded to either be allowed to take their child inside or use an ambulance to transport her to another facility. Their requests were reportedly denied.
The parents then transported the infant to Matara General Hospital, approximately 10 kilometers away. By the time they arrived, doctors declared the baby dead, stating her life could have been saved had she been brought in just 30 minutes earlier.