Woman dies in Cuttack SCB hospital, medical negligence alleged

The family members of a 22-year-old woman brought serious allegations of medical negligence and police excesses after she died under treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on Monday.

According to the complaint, Varsha Majhi of Chandanpur area in Puri district had fallen ill a few days back following which her family members took her to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar. Later, they shifted her to the SCB hospital in Cuttack.

She was admitted to the casualty ward. However, her health condition deteriorated and she died while under treatment.

The relatives alleged that she died due to lack of timely treatment by the doctor. When Majhi’s family asked the doctor about her death, they got into an argument.

“We have brought her here with so much hope that she would be cured. However, the doctors did not attend to her well enough and neglected her treatment. She vomited a lot. She died when the doctors sent her for an ECG,” alleged Majhi’s relative Sukanti Pradhan.

The police personnel on duty allegedly shouted at the family members following the argument. The relatives alleged that they were beaten up by the police when they protested.

"My husband and nephew were beaten up mercilessly by the police. When I resisted, the police even shoved me,” Pradhan alleged.

However, according to the medical police outpost authorities, the police were also beaten up by the relatives of the deceased who fled from the spot after a scuffle at the medical facility.

There was no immediate comment from the hospital authorities or the police in this regard.