Odisha couple cries foul over daughter’s death at temporary medical centre

NUAPADA: A six-year-old girl died at a temporary medical centre (TMC) in Nuapada on Saturday, allegedly due to negligence of the staff in ensuring timely health care for her.

The deceased Barsa Khalse had returned with her parents Daktar Khalse and Jyotsna of Jholpathar village in Khariar block from Telangana on Friday. They were first taken to a distribution centre at Raja AT High School in Khariar and later shifted to a TMC in Chalanpada. 

During the medical screening, they informed the TMC health staff that the child was suffering from diarrhoea and mild fever ever since they started their journey from Telangana on June 3.

Although they asked the staff to shift their daughter to hospital, the health team assured them that she was not very serious and gave her a paracetamol tablet.

In the evening, Barsa’s condition worsened further and she suffered from high fever following which, the health team and nodal officer of the gram panchayat visited the TMC.

The child was again given medicines and the team members told Daktar that Barsa would be shifted to the hospital if her condition does not improve by morning.

However, the child died at 4.30 am.

The couple accused the TMC health staff of negligence and said had Barsa been shifted to hospital on time, she could have survived. After the postmortem and last rites of the girl, the couple was shifted to a primary school at Jholapathar village.

Khariar BDO Uttam Singh refuted the allegations of negligence and said there was no leniency on part of the health team.

“The child was monitored and given medications but it is unfortunate that she died”, he said, adding that her swab sample has been sent for test.

Bihar man dies at isolation ward

Sambalpur: A 31-year-old man, who was lodged at a government quarantine facility in Thelkuli area in the district, died at the isolation ward of VIMSAR on Friday night.

He has been identified as Ashok Singh of Bihar. Singh was first sent to a quarantine center at Thelkuli on Thursday with no symptoms.

However, he complained of nausea on Friday evening and his condition deteriorated further after which, he was taken to the Rengali CHC.

He was referred to VIMSAR isolation ward where he succumbed. Singh’s body was cremated at Sambalpur after getting the consent of his family. However, his swab samples were not collected.