Nayagarh: After Dana Majhi incident in Kalahandi, another man Wednesday carried on his shoulders the body of his wife following her death due to alleged medical negligence.
The kin of the deceased, in the absence of a hearse, took the body to the collectorate seeking monetary assistance. The matter was settled after they were provided with an ambulance to take the corpse to their village and `10,000 from the Red Cross funds. The incident, however, sent shockwaves across the town.
According to reports, Santosh Nayak of Kalshakhman village under Dasapalla block brought his nine-month pregnant wife Saraswati Nayak (30) to the district headquarters hospital Wednesday. Though she was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dasapalla, Santosh decided to admit his wife to DHH as her condition was deteriorating by the day.
He took his wife to the delivery ward as she was at the last stage of pregnancy.
Surprisingly, the doctor in the ward asked him to consult a medicine specialist. Left with no option, he reached the medicine department. The doctor, after examining the patient, asked him to arrange certain medicines. However, Saraswati was found dead when her husband returned with the medicines. She died of medical negligence, the family alleged.
Meanwhile, attendants urged the hospital staff to arrange an ambulance to take the body to their village as they didn’t have enough money to hire a vehicle. With no assistance coming from authorities, Santosh along with his father and uncle picked up the body on their shoulders and reached collectorate to get some financial assistance. The sight of the three people walking on NH-57 with the body on shoulders, followed by the deceased’s four-year-old daughter and aunt, evoked sharp reactions from locals.
When contacted, medicine specialist Dr Shatrughna Nayak said the patient was in critical condition when she was brought to the hospital. Besides, she was suffering from heart ailment, the doctor said.
Reiterating the view of Dr Nayak, CDMO Rajlaxmi Mohanty said the attendants took the body without informing the hospital authorities.
However, locals alleged the doctors are trying to shirk their responsibilities.
Collector Arindam Dakua said action would be taken against the guilty after a probe. PNN
