Another damning case of neglect has emerged from our ailing health system, this time with an eight-year-old boy.
Isaraelu Pele presented at two separate hospitals for severe vomiting and fever, but doctors apparently prescribed basic tablets and Gatorade for the problem.
He later died of meningitis.
Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell says the Government can't keep running away from the problems with its health system.
“It’s scarcely believable that this boy’s family spent a total of 15 hours waiting in two different hospitals and both times was sent away and told nothing was awry.”
“Within a day he's tragically dead,” he said.
“That’s why Reba Meagher and Morris Iemma have to stop the denial, admit to the crisis in the State’s hospital system, and get on and provide those hospitals with the resources to prevent deaths like this.”
Westmead Children’s Hospital has hit back at the claims, saying the young boy showed no signs of the disease and was treated appropriately.
Shadow Health Minister Jillian Skinner has told 2GB’s Luke Bona it's especially tragic with Christmas around the corner.
“It strikes me as absolutely unacceptable that a young boy died from meningitis, in Australia, in the year 2007, when we’re supposed to have some of the best teaching hospitals in the world.”
But Reba Meagher says hospital staff have assured her the eight-year-old showed no signs of the disease.
“I’m not going to second guess the decisions that have been taken by our doctors and nurses.”
“This matter is appropriately going to be investigated by the Coroner, so that we can get to the bottom of what has occurred here,” she said.