13-Year-Old Lightning Victim Dies After 2-Hour Treatment Delay at Rewa Hospital

Rewa, Madhya Pradesh (October 10, 2025) - A 13-year-old boy, Manish Sahu, succumbed to severe burns from a lightning strike after a two-hour delay in receiving treatment at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital (SGMH) in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. The hospital’s internal investigation has confirmed lapses in departmental coordination as a key factor in the tragedy, spotlighting systemic flaws in India’s public healthcare system.

Lightning Strike and Urgent Referral

On August 30, 2025, Manish Sahu, a resident of Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh, was struck by lightning, sustaining life-threatening burns. Initially admitted to Mahoba District Hospital, he showed brief improvement before his condition deteriorated, leading to his transfer to Panna District Hospital. On October 3, with his health critically worsening, he was referred to SGMH, a leading government facility in Madhya Pradesh.

Lightning is a global menace, striking approximately 50 times per second, with 20% of strikes reaching the ground. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) article Lightning Injuries:

Bureaucratic Delays Prove Fatal

Upon arriving at SGMH, Manish’s family encountered a harrowing ordeal. They were redirected across multiple departments including burn ward, emergency unit, and Ward No. 7 while carrying the boy’s stretcher and begging for admission. In a distressing scene captured on October 3, Manish’s elderly grandmother stood for hours, holding his IV drip bottle upright as hospital staff delayed action.

Despite the family’s pleas and a complaint lodged via the Chief Minister’s Helpline, treatment was delayed by over two hours. Manish was eventually admitted to the pediatric ward, where he fought for five days before succumbing to his injuries. The hospital’s internal report explicitly cited “severe lack of coordination between departments” as the cause of the delay, directly contributing to the boy’s death.

Hospital Response and Accountability Gaps

Dr. Rahul Mishra, Superintendent of Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, responded to the incident, stating, “Further action is being taken by the hospital management in this matter. Negligence in such sensitive matters will not be tolerated.” He pledged to improve departmental coordination but has not yet announced specific disciplinary measures against responsible staff.

Dr. Bajaj, Head of the Pediatrics Department, noted, “The boy suffered deep burns from the lightning strike and was in critical condition. Despite our best efforts over two days in our ward, we could not save him.”

Manish’s death is a stark reminder of broader challenges in India’s healthcare system. A 2022 review article in the Indian Journal of Preventive & Social Medicine, titled Ambulance Services in India - Are the Sirens Loud Enough!, estimates that:

(Rh/Eth/VK/MSM)