The coronial inquest into the death of 21-month-old Sandipan Dhar has turned ugly. Frustrated, his father, Sanjoy Dhar, is no longer participating in the process. Sandipan passed away on March 24, 2022, at Joondalup Health Campus. He had been inpatient only two days prior for a high fever following routine vaccinations. The inquest has exposed a pattern of deeply concerning interactions preceding this toddler’s preventable death.
Sandipan’s parents first realized something was wrong when he developed a high fever that lasted over three weeks. The last time they took him to get medical treatment, on March 22. Despite this concerning symptom, they discharged them from the emergency department after five hours without Sandipan getting important bloodwork done. Dr. Siow, the doctor who saw Sandipan on this visit, testified that the child appeared very healthy. He further commented on how collected Sandipan’s parents seemed. This assessment has drawn scrutiny.
Circumstances Surrounding Hospital Visit
On March 22, Sandipan’s parents came to their general practitioner, seeking guidance. Then they went to Joondalup Health Campus, where they delivered a letter asking for their son to receive blood tests. Respondent Sanjoy Dhar testified that he had previously instructed Dr. O’Hearrain “at least, three times” to request a blood test from Dr. Siow. Despite these requests, Dr. O’Hearrain claimed he did not recall Sanjoy’s repeated insistence.
“They appeared really calm and relaxed to me. I didn’t think there was a heightened level of concern.” – A witness from the court
This statement begs a lot of profound questions about the way medical personnel interacted with the Dhar family. There may be cultural factors at play here that affected the degree of concern shared by Sandipan’s parents. Coroner Sarah Linton lifted up this option throughout her inquest.
The Turn of Events Leading to Tragedy
Though Sandipan was discharged from the hospital on March 22, he quickly deteriorated in the ensuing days, leading his parents to head back two days later. Tragically, he died that evening. Dr. Siow admitted in court that she did not review the letter from the general practitioner requesting blood tests and acknowledged that doing so might have improved her communication with Sandipan’s parents.
“Because Sandipan looked very well when I saw him moments earlier, I thought it would be very low risk.” – Dr. Siow
This concession undermines the plaintiff’s case pretty profoundly. It is deeply troubling because of what it suggests about the erosion of medical judgment during a critical time.
Frustration and Accusations from Family
As the inquest continued, tensions escalated. Sanjoy Dhar’s anger at the ongoing hearings became intolerable. He went off, saying medical witnesses had purged in their testimony.
“I cannot take anymore lies. I am just exiting myself. It’s too much for me to take.” – Sanjoy Dhar
He emphasized the family’s efforts to remain composed throughout their interactions with hospital staff, stating, “We’ve been polite. We didn’t consider raising our voice because other patients are in the other beds.”
These testimonies provide a critical impact on the ongoing investigation. They challenge us to explore deeper questions about established medical procedures and the role of communication in public health.
