TV
Tension broke out at the Maharaja Jajati Keshri Medical College and Hospital in Jajpur on Monday following the death of a one-year-old child, with grieving parents alleging medical negligence and procedural delays at the government hospital.
Subsequent chaos then led to verbal outbursts and tense scenes inside the premier hospital. The situation escalated into a heated altercation in the emergency ward, prompting the police to intervene, said reports.
The incident unfolded at the casualty department, where Narayan Mallick and his wife from Kacheri village under Jajpur Sadar police limits arrived with their ailing infant son, who was reportedly suffering from a high fever.
According to sources, the couple arrived at the hospital seeking immediate treatment. However, it is alleged that they were made to move from department to department without clear direction.
“I brought my child to the doctor’s cabin, but the attendant asked me to take him (the infant) to another department. Upon reaching there, the doctor was absent, and they asked me to take him back to the same cabin. This continued, and we lost an hour,” alleged Narayan Mallick.
He also claimed that he was not allowed to take his child to a private hospital unless he signed some papers.
The child was eventually declared dead by the attending doctor, triggering emotional outbursts from the family and bystanders.
A scuffle reportedly ensued when the hospital staff asked the family to complete paperwork before handing over the body, which the parents refused to do immediately, demanding that their son be returned without delay.
Hospital Version: Child Was Dead on Arrival
Dr Manoj Senapati, who was on duty at the time, stated that the child was already unresponsive when brought in. He added that he was called by the casualty department to check the child and attempt to resuscitate him, but it was too late since he was dead on arrival.
“There were no vital signs when we examined the baby. As per protocol, we required the guardian's signature to officially release the body,” he explained.
Hospital sources also suspect that the child may have received an improper dosage or treatment at the village level before arrival, possibly aggravating his condition.
Following the incident, Jajpur Sadar police reached the hospital and brought the situation under control. No formal complaint has yet been registered, but senior officials said the matter is being looked into.
