The VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla

Sambalpur April 8: The Paschim Odisha Dalit Surakshya Parishad today demanded a probe into the death of a 12-day-old baby because of alleged negligence of doctors at VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla.

Rakesh Pansari of Khetrajpur in Sambalpur had got his baby admitted to the paediatric ward of the hospital on April 4. However, the child died the next day, following which Pansari’s relatives alleged medical negligence.

Pansari’s family members had allegedly misbehaved with the head of the paediatric department, S.K. Murmu, following the child’s death. They, however, alleged Murmu was the first to misbehave with them. Two separate cases were registered with Burla police following the allegation and counter-allegation. The police had taken one person into custody on the basis of the doctor’s complaint.

The Paschim Odisha Dalit Surakshya Parishad today joined the protests of the deceased’s relatives and demanded a probe into the matter.

“The relatives of the deceased newborn had alleged that the head of the hospital’s paediatric department had not turned up to treat the baby despite repeated requests. The department does not have staff crunch. The head of the department could have assigned the responsibility of treating the baby to another doctor,” said Nihal Singh of the Dalits’ organisation.

When contacted, principal of the VSS Medical College and Hospital Santosh Behera said: “We can initiate a probe into the matter only after we receive a formal complaint.”