Tumudibandh: In a shocking incident, a baby died due to severe cold minutes after its birth on the verandah of the community health centre (CHC) here in Kandhamal district late Saturday night.
Its family members were seen carrying the body in a bag Sunday while the condition of the mother was critical when this report was filed.
According to sources, Anil Digal of Sinemil village under Kurtamgarh panchayat brought his wife Mita Digal to Tumudibandh CHC after she experienced labour pain Saturday night.
The ambulance dropped them near the CHC and went back, but to their surprise, the couple found the centre locked with no staff nurse or doctor at sight.
A desperate Anil called out for help but none turned up, it was learnt.
Later, Anil went to the residential quarters of the CHC staff after Mita’s condition worsened. However, they allegedly turned him away.
Anil then pleaded with a doctor who came to his rescue. But, it was too late as by then, as Mita had already given birth to a baby girl and both of them were lying on the verandah of the CHC in the harsh winter night. Upon health examination, the doctor declared the baby dead.
With none to help them, the couple cried the whole night sitting near the body.
They claimed the medical authorities were asleep in their quarters and turning away Anil when he knocked at their doors.
Sunday morning, the couple and their kin packed the body in a bag that they had brought with them and were seen carrying it.
CHC medical officer Dr Prasanna Kumar Tripathy, however, claimed that Mita gave birth to a stillborn and refuted the allegation of negligence in treatment.
The family claimed it was not a stillborn and the baby died after being exposed to the biting cold.
The incident has spread shockwaves in the area with locals demanding stringent action against the CHC authorities. PNN
