Eight-year-old schoolgirl’s sudden death a warning to all, say medics

Most people who experience minor ailments tend to just ignore them, until it’s too late

MUSCAT: Eight-year-old Leeketha Baganna’s body has been taken to India for burial after her sudden death in Oman.

“She has been buried at our village in Siddipet district of the Indian state of Telangana,” her uncle Ram Mudhiraj told the

Leeketha was sent home from school last week after a vomiting fit. She had been complaining about stomach pains and was not eating properly.

Tragically, her parents thought it better to wait until the summer holidays at the end of the month before seeking treatment in India.

When she was sent home, her father was at work in Nizwa and by the time he raced home to take her to hospital, she was dead on arrival.

Family in shock

Her uncle Mudhiraj added that the family is yet to recover from the shock. “They are confined to their home in India and will return to Oman only after the summer vacation,” he said.

Vomiting, pain in the upper stomach and fatigue are typically thought of as minor health problems. And so, most people who experience these minor ailments tend to just ignore them, until it’s too late.

These seemingly insignificant problems are actually your body’s way of telling you something is wrong, and if ignored, can lead to serious developments, such as a heart attack or a stroke.

This was revealed by the Chairman of the Al Hayat International Hospital in Muscat, Dr K P Raman. “Many a time, people cannot judge the seriousness of the patient,” he said. The same thing might have happened with the parents of eight-year-old Leeketha, who complained to her parents of stomach pain, but they thought they could wait to have her treated in India, at a fraction of the cost here.

Tragically wrong

Tragically, they were wrong as she died before her father could come home from work to take her to hospital. “The complaint may look very simple like in this case, but let the hospital decide whether it is a trivial illness or a serious illness,” Raman said.

“Many a time, I have seen people dying in their houses or on the way to the hospital as they don’t receive proper medication in time,” he said.

The complaint may look very simple like in Leeketha Baganna’s case, but let the hospital decide whether the illness is trivial or serious

Time crucial

“We have to remember that some medicines are only effective if given within three to five hours after having a heart attack or stroke, so people should not miss this window of opportunity and consult a doctor whenever there is a problem as many people ignore pain in the upper stomach thinking it is an indigestion problem,” he added.

Another doctor said the sooner you report a problem, the better the chances of catching an issue are before it becomes a full-blown heart attack.

“While visiting the doctor, bring a list of your symptoms and when they are occurring and let him or her know about any related family history,” Dr M Maheswari, who practices at a private clinic, said.