Medical negligence cry sparks tension at Rourkela Government Hospital

ROURKELA: Tension flared up in Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) after relatives of a deceased patient assaulted a male staff nurse alleging medical negligence on Monday night. Sources said one Ram Pyare Jaiswal (62) of Panposh in Rourkela was admitted to the RGH with acute breathing and other complications on Monday evening. However, he died after a few hours. 

Ram’s four sons and relatives raised a hue and cry over his death alleging medical negligence. His sons, Santosh and Surajpal, claimed that though their father was having difficulty in breathing, he was not given oxygen support. During the melee, some of Ram’s relatives heckled a male staff nurse on duty and assaulted him on the hospital premises. 

On Tuesday, health workers of RGH resorted to cease work protesting the assault on the staff nurse. Normalcy was restored after police and RGH management intervened and convinced the agitators to call off their strike.

Later, the male staff nurse filed a complaint against five persons at RN Pali police station. Another complaint alleging medical negligence was filed by Ram’s family members. RGH Superintendent Dr Jagdish Barik said there was no medical negligence as the patient was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. The treating doctor had also advised his family members to shift him to VIMSAR, Burla or any other higher centre as RGH did not have an ICU facility.  

“The patient appears to have died of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or heart attack. As per the hospital protocol, a fact-finding committee will probe the matter,” Barik added.