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Palanga Hospital Incident: Mother's Plea After Child Denied Urgent Care
๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡น Lithuania /Health & Science

Palanga Hospital Incident: Mother's Plea After Child Denied Urgent Care

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • A mother in Palanga, Lithuania, reported a distressing incident at the local hospital where her severely ill child was allegedly denied immediate care.
  • The mother stated that hospital staff told her to travel to Klaipeda for treatment, despite her child's life-threatening condition of tongue swelling.
  • The incident has prompted calls for an investigation into emergency pediatric care availability in Palanga, a popular coastal resort town.

A Palanga resident has voiced deep distress over the alleged lack of immediate emergency care for her severely ill child at the local hospital. Kotryna Poลกkuvienฤ—, a cosmetologist, shared her experience on a local social media group, detailing how her son's life-threatening condition, characterized by sudden swelling, required urgent attention.

There is no pediatrician, go to Klaipeda.

โ€” Palanga Hospital StaffThe mother's account of the response she received at the Palanga hospital when seeking urgent care for her child.

According to Poลกkuvienฤ—, upon arriving at the Palanga hospital, she was told, "There is no pediatrician, go to Klaipeda." She questioned whether basic life-saving first aid could not be administered while arranging a transfer, especially since she had necessary medication with her. "What would have happened if we didn't have it? What would have happened to another family?" she asked, highlighting the potential fatal consequences of such delays.

What would have happened if we didn't have it? What would have happened to another family?

โ€” Kotryna Poลกkuvienฤ—The mother's reflection on the potential consequences of not having immediate access to life-saving medication and care.

The mother expressed concern about the lack of emergency pediatric medical services in a resort town that attracts tens of thousands of visitors during the summer. She pointed out that the 15-20 minute drive to Klaipeda could be critical in a life-threatening situation. She emphasized that the post was not about assigning blame but about ensuring responsible authorities assess the situation to prevent other families from enduring similar fear and stress.

How can it be that a resort town, which attracts tens of thousands of people from all over Lithuania in the summer, has no possibility to provide urgent pediatric medical care at night?

โ€” Kotryna Poลกkuvienฤ—The mother's question directed at responsible authorities regarding the availability of emergency pediatric services in Palanga.

Marius Ellikas, head of the Emergency Medicine Clinic at Klaipeda University Hospital, which oversees Palanga's facility, stated that emergency services are available 24/7. He explained that while initial assessments and care for minor injuries are provided in Palanga, specialized pediatric care for serious illnesses or complex trauma is handled at the Klaipeda Children's Hospital. Decisions about patient transport are made individually based on the patient's clinical condition.

If a child needs specialized pediatric care due to illness or a more complex injury, further treatment is organized at Klaipeda Children's Hospital, where specialized pediatric services are provided around the clock.

โ€” Marius EllikasThe head of the Emergency Medicine Clinic explaining the protocol for pediatric cases requiring specialized care.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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