The Sundargarh Consumer Redressal Forum has imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on a paediatrician of Sundargarh District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), besides the Sundargarh Collector, the CDMO, the ADMO, the DEMT and the Director of Health for the death of a girl child in Sundargarh DHH allegedly due to negligence in her treatment.
It ordered them to pay the sum of money to the father of the deceased girl child.
The one and a half years old Saina, daughter of Ghusiram of Deuli village under lepripada police station, had fallen ill on July 17 and Ghusiram had taken her to the private clinic of Dr Manoj Panigrahi who works as paediatrician in the Sundargarh DHH. Panigrahi had treated her and had given her medicine. But that night, Saina’s condition grew critical. Saina was brought to Sundargarh DHH when Dr Panigrahi was on duty. As per his advice, a staff nurse, identified as Baby Patel, administered an injection to her. But after that, her health condition started deteriorating. When the parents requested the staff nurse and guard to call the doctor, they allegedly did not heed.
Next day morning, when the doctor came and saw the critical condition of Saina,, he told to take her to other hospital. But after some time, Saina died. Soon, the family members of the deceased alleged that due to faulty treatment, the girl died and demanded action against the doctor. Medical authorities conducted an inquiry. According to sources, Dr Panigrahi admitted that he had treated the girl child in his private clinic and later in the Sundargarh DHH but even if he had told her parents not to give her any food at that time in hospital, her mother fed her biscuit and milk, causing her death.
The deceased’s father knocked at the door of Sundargarh Consumer Redressal Forum demanding Rs5 lakh compensation for the death of his daughter. The forum after registering a case started the judiciary process. Recently, forum panel comprising Arun Kumar Patel and Snehalata Patel passed the judgement.