The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Odisha directing to show cause within four weeks as to why the Commission should not recommend payment of compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the victim, a tribal man with disabilities whose human rights have been infringed on account of the negligence of a doctor and ASHA.
Acting on a petition filed by rights lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC passed the order on December 28.
He alleged that health officials of Mathili Sub-Divisional Hospital, Malkangiri district, had performed vasectomy on 3.8.2023, on one Divyang (dumb) unmarried youth Ganga Durua of Kosarbata, a tribal from Scheduled Tribe community for the sake of highlighting increased cases of vasectomies in the area flouting norms and parameters.
Tripathy sought for an impartial investigation of the case and compensation to the victim. Earlier, the NHRC sought Action Taken Reports from the Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare and District Magistrate, Malkangiri, for submission of requisite report in the matter.
Pursuant to the directions of the NHRC, a report of the Special Secretary (MS) Health and Family Welfare Department stated that compensation of Rs 2,000 has not been paid to the beneficiary as ASHA Rekha Mandal informed that the victim did not have a bank account.
This was found to be against the procedure of Direct Benefit Transfer and the amount disbursed to the ASHA was recovered and to be paid directly in the bank account of the actual beneficiary.
The operating surgeon has been issued show-cause notice by the CDM and PHO, Malkangiri, regarding lapse in determining eligibility and conducting surgery without proper screening of the client.
In reply to the Show Cause Notice, the operating surgeon has submitted his response in which he mentioned that the negligence had been done unknowingly by him.