A grieving family has shared the heartbreaking story of their six-month-old son, Samisoni Vana Ratuvou, affectionately known as Yaca, who passed away due to dehydration after what they described as inadequate medical care.
According to a social media post by the child’s relative, Yaca fell ill with diarrhea on Sunday.
The family sought urgent medical attention at Qarani Health Centre on Monday morning, only to be informed that the facility was closed due to a water disruption.
“No proper examination was done, no drip was given, and we were sent back to the village with only two bottles of Panadol,” the post stated.
Yaca’s condition worsened throughout the day, with shortness of breath developing by evening.
Around 11pm, the family returned to Qarani Health Centre in a desperate attempt to save him.
The post described the care as “extremely poor.”
A postmortem confirmed the cause of death as dehydration. The family has expressed deep frustration at the handling of the case, emphasising that timely medical intervention could have saved their child.
“Our hearts are shattered with grief, pain, and unanswered questions. This should never have happened,” the family member wrote.
They are now calling on the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to urgently improve health care facilities, staffing, resources, and emergency services, particularly in remote communities like Gau.
“Every life matters. Access to proper health care is not a privilege; it is a basic right,” the family said, urging authorities to ensure that no other family faces a similar tragedy.
