Dhar family’s hopes rest on inquest into son Sandipan’s death, continue fight for answers

On the first anniversary of their son Sandipan’s death, Sanjoy and Saraswati Dhar are still fighting for answers. Their son died on March 24, 2024, from complications of an acute lymphoblastic leukaemia which went undiagnosed despite five visits to a Clarkson GP clinic and two visits to Joondalup Health Campus’ emergency department. Desperate pleas from his parents for a simple blood test — which could have saved him — were ignored. It’s a heartache that will never go away, but was eased slightly when they welcomed a baby girl into the world in February. Oikantika, derived from Sanskrit and meaning wanderer, slept quietly in her father’s arms, oblivious to the fight her family forges on with in the hopes no other family has to endure the same ordeal. “We know what we lost and we will not get it back. But we will continue fighting against it,” Mr Dhar said. “The health professionals have to be accountable. They just cannot play with someone’s life, and they are not the God. “They should not be untouchable. So the law has to be changed. And whatever needs to be done, I am more than prepared for that.” The family’s hopes now rest on the inquest, scheduled for May 20-22. “We are expecting that the inquest will bring all the truth,” Mr Dhar said. “The organisations . . . have to acknowledge that they made the mistakes. They did not listen to us. “They ignored my child . . . they ignored us.” The Dhars also plan to re-submit their concerns to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, after The West Australian revealed the medical watchdog had cleared the three GPs who saw Sandipan before he died of any wrongdoing. It’s understood Ahpra is prepared to re-open the cases for further investigation. The West does not suggest any further investigation of the GPs or the medical clinic is necessary nor warranted. Mr Dhar is yet to receive the outcome from his complaint against medicos at Joondalup Health Campus. And with a new Health Minister in Meredith Hammat after the State election, Mr Dhar thanked former health minister Amber-Jade Sanderson for her support and congratulated the incoming minister. “We are congratulating the new Health Minister and expect that she will continue the ongoing task, and will receive our continuous support of Sandipan’s case,” he said. Two petitions tabled in parliament late last year — one calling for an accountability mechanism for doctors and the other calling for Ramsay Health Care, which runs Joondalup Health Campus, to cease operations in WA — will be re-entered into parliament this week. Mr Dhar says he will fight to the bitter end, if it comes down to it, to get the law changed. All he wants is better accountability for those who do wrong by their patients. “We lost our child, and I am here fighting for other things. I am here fighting for other parents who . . . are not able to come and speak to you,” he said. “We do not want the other parents to face the same consequences. They may not be able to come to you, but they also cry like we do.” With several family members who are doctors, Mr Dhar said he has a deep respect for the profession, but that there must be better accountability. “This is a noble profession, no doubt about it, and we have full respect (for it). In Indian culture, we say doctors are the second God,” he said. “But definitely I am changing my mind and mentality that if I am in Australia, I do not consider it in that way.” His message to WA’s doctors treating children was three-fold. “First thing, the parents are the best doctor for their child. So they should listen to the parents,” he said. “Secondly, please look at the child. Please try to touch the child or the baby, to look at and do the physical treatment, physical check-up. “And number three, please be transparent. When someone comes to a doctor, consider that they are helpless, they want help.”