Locals lock hospital at Erasama after death of patient

JAGATSINGHPUR: Irate locals on Sunday ransacked the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Erasama and locked the hospital after death of an injured person due to alleged medical negligence.

Sources said after a road accident, locals had brought two injured persons, identified as Arabinda Nayak of Siha village and Abhin Mallick of Katijanga Bharang, for treatment. But when they reached the hospital, neither the doctors nor paramedical staff were present at the CHC to provide treatment. They said, “We waited for the doctors and nurses for more than an hour. Later, Nayak, who had sustained serious injuries, died in the hospital without treatment. It is a clear case of medical negligence.”

Following the incident, hundreds of villagers rushed to the CHC and ransacked the hospital. Later, they locked the medical centre and staged demonstration demanding action against errant health officials and compensation of `five lakh for the victim’s family.

On being informed, Erasama police, led by SDPO Siba Charan Mallick, rushed to the spot and pacified the villagers. The agitators called off their strike after the  administration released `10,000 towards cremation of the body.

Meanwhile, injured Mallick has been shifted to SCB Medical, Cuttack after his condition deteriorated.
Sources said the healthcare services of Erasama CHC have been affected due to lack of infrastructure and vacancy of doctors. Out of five, two posts of specialists are lying vacant in Erasama CHC. Despite frequent agitations, no action has been taken in this regard.