The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued an order to the Odisha Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary to personally appear before it in connection with the death of a woman and her newborn baby in a hospital at Parjang in Dhenkanal district.The NHRC taking cognisance of a petition filed by a civil society organisation Human Rights Watch’s secretary Sangita Swain directed the Health Secretary to appear before it on Oct 3, 2017 or before it.
The petitioner had stated that a woman of lodhani village, Sabita Sahoo and her new born baby died in the Parjang Community Health Centre (CHC) on February 14, 2016 due to medical negligence. Swain prayed to the NHRC for action against the hospital authorities and pay compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the kin of the deceased woman.