Keonjhar villagers seek damages

Keonjhar: Villagers of Khadibil gheraoed the office of Krushna Chandra Das, sub-divisional medical officer (Anandpur), on Monday to seek compensation for the woman who had the wrong leg operated upon at Anandpur subdivisional hospital, about 70km from here, on Friday. The protesters sought action against the negligent staff and submitted a memorandum to the officer.
Mitarani Jena, 24, a native of Khadibil, said she had gone to treat a wound in her left leg. After a check-up, a doctor sent her to a dressing room-cum minor operation theatre. A hospital staff member administered her anaesthesia. “When I regained consciousness, I found that the surgery had been done on my right leg. I cried in panic. My husband complained to the doctor,” she said.

Her husband Trilochan Jena, a farmer, said the doctor also operated on the left leg after the complaint and discharged her from the hospital. “My wife can barely walk now,” he added.

S S Bal, additional district medical officer, said a colleague of his had been sent to the house of the woman on the orders of the district administration. “He has conducted a probe and will submit a report to the chief district medical officer and the collector (Keonjhar),” he said. “The woman had wounds on both her feet but she went for treatment of her left leg. While dressing the wound, the medical staff could not gauge which foot to operate upon,” he added.

Chief district medical officer C S Mishra said, “We will take action against errant staff after going through the report.”