Child’s death due to expired medicine sparks tension in Odisha’s Gajapati 

Tension gripped Jajpur village on the outskirts of Parlakhemundi in Gajapati district on Tuesday after villagers blocked the road over the death of an 11-month-old baby. Holding the Anganwadi worker and ASHA activist responsible for the child’s death, the irked villagers alleged they had supplied expired medicines which claimed the child’s life. 

According to a source, the deceased, identified as Sanchit of Jajpur village fell ill after consuming medicines supplied by the Anganwadi centre in the village on April 11. Though, he was cured after the treatment, a few days later he became serious again.  

The family members took the baby to several hospitals including Parlakhemundi district headquarters hospital (DHH), a Vishakhapatnam-based hospital, AIIMS in Bhubaneswar and Sishu Bhawan in Cuttack. But they couldn’t save him. 

While undergoing treatment at the Sishu Bhawan, he breathed his last night. 

Demanding action against the Anganwadi worker and ASHA activist, hundreds of villagers and the family members on Tuesday morning blocked the road, disrupting the traffic between Parlakhemundi and Mohana. 

On the basis of the complaint lodged by the family members, the police registered a case and launched a probe into the matter.