An Indian woman in New Zealand has shared what happened when she tried to see a doctor for her child’s persistent cough.
In a video shared on Instagram, Akriti Jaiswal Srivastava recounted her struggle to get medical attention for her child, Kevith, whose cough had continued for 10 days without improving.
But after 10 days, she decided she could not wait any longer and took her child to an after-hours clinic, where walk-in patients are usually seen.
While acknowledging that New Zealand is a developed country, Srivastava said the ease of accessing doctors in India was something she now appreciated more.
“But it’s not like that here.”Watch the video here:Her video prompted others to share similar experiences of navigating healthcare abroad.
An Indian woman in New Zealand has shared what happened when she tried to see a doctor for her child’s persistent cough. The appointment was a week away, while the after-hours clinic had already reached capacity.
In a video shared on Instagram, Akriti Jaiswal Srivastava recounted her struggle to get medical attention for her child, Kevith, whose cough had continued for 10 days without improving.
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She said she called her local medical centre on a Thursday hoping to get him checked. Instead, she was told there were no appointments available for a week. The earliest slot she could get was the following Wednesday.
“I thought, okay, let’s wait and see if it gets better on its own,” she said, explaining that she had already been waiting because she felt doctors in New Zealand generally do not prescribe medicines as readily as they might in India.
But after 10 days, she decided she could not wait any longer and took her child to an after-hours clinic, where walk-in patients are usually seen.
That plan did not work either.
The clinic was so crowded that a notice outside informed patients, “We are sorry but we are at capacity and unable to take any more patients tonight.”
Srivastava filmed the notice and described the situation as particularly difficult for parents trying to get medical care for sick children.
“Just imagine, it was so overcrowded here too,” she said, adding that the experience had made her realise how important it was to be prepared for such delays.
She also said the experience had changed how she viewed healthcare access in India. While acknowledging that New Zealand is a developed country, Srivastava said the ease of accessing doctors in India was something she now appreciated more.
“In India, you can go to a hospital or clinic immediately, see a doctor right away, and everything gets sorted quickly,” she said. “But it’s not like that here.”
Watch the video here:
Her video prompted others to share similar experiences of navigating healthcare abroad. One user recalled waiting more than five and a half hours in London just to be seen by doctors for a brief consultation.
For Akriti Jaiswal Srivastava, however, the experience came down to a concern familiar to any parent; wanting to see a doctor when a child is unwell, without having to wait days for a slot.
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