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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Graeme Murray

Boy, 5, dies of infection after being sent home from hospital 'despite his pleas'

A boy died of an infection after being sent home from hospital where his family claim they 'begged' staff to treat him.

Five-year-old Yusuf Mahmud Nazir, died after an infection 'spread to his lungs' which caused several organ failures and triggered a number of cardiac arrests.

Zaheer Ahmed, the youngster's uncle told Sky News he "begged and begged" staff at Rotherham General Hospital to treat the boy's aching throat but they said "there are no beds and not enough doctors".

He wept as he watched a video of Yusuf two weeks before his death and recalled he was "such a lovely kid".

Yusuf Mahmud Nazir's uncle Zaheer Ahmed appeared on the BBC (BBC News)

An investigation has since been launched over his care by Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust.

He had complained of a sore throat on November 13, which caused his mum and dad to take him to their GP who prescribed antibiotics.

The condition did not improve, however, and Yusuf's parents drove him to the accident and emergency department the following day.

They waited several hours before he was seen then sent home despite a doctor saying "it was the worst case of tonsillitis he had ever seen" Mr Ahmed claims.

Rotherham General Hospital did not have enough beds to care for the youngster (Google Streetview)

Yusuf was struggling to breathe and his family claim he found it difficult to swallow.

He deteriorate further at home and his family called an ambulance and asked for him to be taken instead to Sheffield Children's Hospital.

Mr Ahmed said: "If they would have treated him where we wanted him to be treated he would be here with us now.

"He would have been here playing like he was. We've lost a beautiful child... it's not his fault.

"He begged and begged and begged for help. We couldn't get it. We just did not get the help we wanted or we needed or we should have got.

Yusuf Mahmud Nazir's uncle Zaheer Ahmed said the boy begged for help (BBC News)

"They kept saying to us, they kept saying to us, 'We've got one doctor. What do you want us to do?

"We've got no beds available. What do you want us to do?

"We've got no space for him. What do you want us to do? Complain to the big people, don't complain to us. Complain to the big ones that only gave us one doctor."

Mr Ahmed added: 'Even if it saves one child's life, saves one parent going through what we're going through, it saves one family to suffer what we've suffered. That will be enough for me.

"If Yusuf, who's passed away, if he can save one child, we're happy.

Yusuf Mahmud Nazir died after an infection after complaining of a sore throat (Yusuf Mahmud Nazir died after an infection after complaining of a sore throat)

"We do not want anybody to go through this. And we're just asking them to please listen to people. Because when you don't listen to people, this is what happens."

Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Dr Richard Jenkins gave his condolences to the family.

He said: "We have commenced a thorough investigation into Yusuf's care, which will include liaison with Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust.

"We have contacted the family and will continue to do so as part of the investigation.

Mr Ahmed added: 'Even if it saves one child's life. That will be enough for me' (BBC News)

"I want to assure families that we have an appropriately staffed medical paediatric service who provide support to our medical colleagues working within our Urgent Emergency Care Centre when required.

"We, like other district general hospitals in the South Yorkshire region, do not provide paediatric intensive care beds.

"The Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist trust who do provide paediatric intensive care beds."

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