Jharsuguda: Tension ran high in Jharsuguda town for the second consecutive day on Sunday over death of an infant at the district headquarters hospital (DHH) due to alleged medical negligence yesterday.
According to sources, one Sali Solu of Mangal Bazar in the town had admitted his nine-month-old son at the DHH after the latter sustained burn injury when hot dal accidentally fell on him on Saturday. However, the little boy breathed his last while undergoing treatment later in the day.
Alleging medical negligence over his son’s death, Sali Solu and his family members along with hundreds of locals created ruckus at the DHH and demanded action against the hospital authorities.
The protesters alleged that the Mangal Bazar hospital, earlier functioning in the town was shifted to the DHH campus recently, around seven kilometres away from the town which is leading to delay in immediate healthcare services. This apart, they demanded that the hospital should be reinstated inside the town and upgraded to a City Hospital with round-the-clock healthcare facility.
Members of Jharsuguda Ghasi Samaj, who are mostly engaged in cleaning the town, also extended their support to the agitation and refrained from their duties today.
"First of all we demand adequate compensation for the bereaved family members and stringent action against the doctor who was treating the child and of course the CDMO. We also request the state government to upgrade the Mangal Bazar hospital to a City Hospital as the DDH is too far from the town," said Umesh Behera, president of Ghasi Samaj, Jharsuguda.
"We will intensify our demonstration if our demands are not fulfilled by the government," he threatened.
Statement of the CDMO regarding the alleged medical negligence issue could not be obtained.