Sick boy, three, dies waiting for an appointment

A family claims their sick three-year-old son died three days after he was turned away from a medical centre without being seen by doctors.

Obed-Edom Bans was offered Calpol despite having an emergency card as a sickle-cell sufferer. He became seriously ill and three days later
was taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting, where he died from meningitis.

Health officials in Croydon have launched an inquiry into the death of Obed, who had been due to celebrate his fourth birthday with twin brother Benjamin this month.

A spokesman for NHS Croydon said: "We are treating this case as a serious untoward incident."

Obed was taken to the Fieldway Medical Centre in New Addington on October 19 after his temperature rose and he began shivering. But staff allegedly could not make him an appointment for seven days.

His mother Akua, 45, said: "It was obvious something was wrong, but they would not see him — even though I was showing his emergency card. If he was checked that day, they could have saved him, but he died before the appointment they gave him." Mrs Bans added that a nurse phoned later to say they could issue a Calpol prescription, but they "still would not see him".

Three days later, Obed was found unconscious at his New Addington home. He died at St George's on October 23.

Dr Richard Bamgboye, of the Fieldway Medical Centre, said: "We have been advised by the NHS not to comment on this case."

Amelia Lyons, a spokeswoman for NHS Croydon, said: "NHS Croydon wishes to extend their deepest sympathy to the family of Obed-Edom Bans. A thorough investigation is under way."