ଓଡ଼ିଶା ସୂଚନା ଅଧିକାର ଅଭିଯାନ: 12-days" struggle of a young Boy to get surgery operation approaching 10 Hospitals yielded result after interention of OHRC

OHRC directed KIMS Hospital, Bhubaneswar to immediately conduct surgery operation to a person suffering from stabbing injury and denial of treatment by 10 Govt. and Private Hospitals for 12 days.

Dear friends

Taking prompt action on a complaint petition filed dt. 22.9.20 ( registered Complaint Case No. 2355/20), Odisha Human Rights Commission issued direction on same day to Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences ( KIMS) hospital , Patia, Bhubaneswar to immediately conduct surgery operation of Ranjit Nayak after receipt of the order and directed Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Odisha to conduct an inquiry into the allegation of petitioner and submit the Report by 15.10.20. The Commission also directed the following Hospitals to file their response about why they failed to render treatment to a patient.

1. Director, Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar

2. Director, Kalinga Institute of Medical Science (KIMS) Hospital, Patia, Bhubaneswar

3. Director, AIIMS, Bhubaneswar

4. Inspector-in-Charge, Chandrasekhar Pur Police Station, Bhubaneswar

What is the Case ?

Sri Pabitra Nayak, aged 25, cousin brother of victim filed a complaint in the office of hon’ble Commission alleging Complete negligence, callousness and denial of surgery operation to a seriously injured patient since 12 days by all 10 Govt. and Private Hospitals. His allegation before the Commission is as follows.

1. ON 8.9.20., Sri Ranjit Nayak, aged 21 At- Chandrasekhar Pur (Near Damana), Arabinda Nagar Basti, Bhubaneswar-751022 was stabbed with sharpened knife in his house at 6.30 PM by his neighbors Tapas Kumar Sahu and his relatives after a violent conflict centring around matter of theft of mobile. The lower part of his belly stated bleeding profusely.

2. Then, the parents of Ranjit Nayak carried him to Chandrasekhar Pur police station at 7 pm to file FIR. But the police suggested them to immediately admit the boy in hospital for operation, as his condition is serious and did not receive their FIR.

3. On the same day at 8. PM, the parents carried Ranjit Nayak to KIMS Hospital, Patia, Bhubaneswar for immediate treatment. But the authority of KIMS Hospital refused to admit him. Then , the parents carried him to Capital Hospital , Bhubaneswar and requested doctor for treatment as the condition of patient is serious. The doctors of the Capital Hospital at casualty refused to receive the patient and asked them to go some other hospitals , as surgery is not possible. It was around 9 PM.

5. Then, the patient was carried to Sum Hospital, Ghatikia, Bhubaneswar. On refusal, he was carried to Vivekanand Hospital, Fire Station square, Bhubaneswar. Though the doctors were persuaded for immediate operation, they did not receive patient as oxygen was not available in the hospital.

6. Then, the patient was carried to AIIMS Hospital at around 11.45 pm. The patient was kept in Ambulance for one hour. Then the doctors admitted the patient in emergency ward and asked the relatives to arrange blood (4) for operation at 1 am. In the meantime, they made COVID test and found positive. When the blood was arranged, the doctors refused for operation at 4 am and asked the complainant to leave hospital, as they do not have OT for surgery of COVID Patient.

7. The complainant carried the patients to AMRI Hospital, Bhubaneswar at 4.30 am. The authority refused to treat the patients, as bed was not available.

8. Then, the patient was taken to Kalinga Hospital on 9.9.20 at 6 am. The Security Guard did not allow the entry. Then , he was taken to APOLLO Hospital, Bhubaneswar. The doctors did not allow admission of the patients.

9. Then, he was carried to S.C.B. Medical, Cuttack with great hope for surgery operation. The condition of patient was deteriorating . The complaint spent the sleepless night moving one hospital to another for treatment.

10. The people stationed at casualty simply refused to receive and the security asked to leave the medical, despite several persuasion by the complaint.

11. Then, the patient was carried to Sriram Hospital at 8.30 am. The Authority asked him to deposit Rs. 45,000.00 for operation. The Complainant deposited the said amount with 4 units of blood. After few minutes, the authority refused to treat him.

12. Then, he was carried him to ASWANI Hospital at 6 PM and faced same response.

13. With much pain and agony, the complainant again came to AIIMS Hospital for treatment. The time was 10 PM. He stayed there 2 hours and repeatedly requested doctor with folded hand for operation. But nobody did pay any attention to him. However, the doctors refereed to KIMS Hospital, Bhubaneswar with reference paper.

14. They reached at KIMS COVID Hospital in the night. The Patient was admitted and discharged him at 16.9.20 at 7 pm without any surgery operation.

15. During this period, FIR was lodged in Chandrasekhar police station on 10.9.20 and it was registered by the police. As the FIR was registered and the case is under police investigation, the complainant made a call to Prakash Ch. Pal, ACP and appraised him about it. He sent an ASI of police to KIMS Hospital for being present during discharge.

16. Then, the patient was again taken to Capital Hospital. The complainant persuaded to the Superintendent and Surgery doctors for operation. The patient was kept on stretcher the whole night and was not allowed to be admitted in the hospital. They all refused to admit him. On 17.9.20, the patient was kept in stretcher. The complainant met Director, Capital Hospital at 12 noon on 18.9.20 and appraised him about condition of the patient. The Director assured him for surgery operation and gave a phone no. of contact doctor Dr. Basant Mishra . the patient was admitted in the COVID isolation Ward, though the patient was COVID negative. A team of Doctors just visited and refused to conduct surgery operation. Then , the patient was referred to KIDS COVID Hospital , Dumduma which again returned back the patient to Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar.

17. On 19.9.20, the patient was kept in COVID isolation Ward. Then SWAD test of patient was conducted at 11.43 am. No treatment was conducted except minor dressing was done.

18. At 3 pm, the complainant received a call from BMC office that Ranjit Nayak, patient was found COVID positive again. The doctors of Capital Hospital persuaded me to take patient and admit in Hospital. At 11.45 , the complainant received a call from Capital Hospital that his patient was referred to KIMS COVID Hospital for admission. The BMC Ambulance carried him to KIMS COVID Hospital at 12 o’clock at night.

19. The patient was admitted in KIMS COVID Hospital at 12.30 am on 19.9.20 without any surgery treatment.

My intervention in this case

It is tragedy that Since last 12 days, a minor surgery could not be conducted despite several persuasion starting from Govt. to Private hospitals ( covering 10 Hospitals of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack). The patient is still battling with much pain for survival. All the Hospitals refused to conduct minor surgery operation, though he was free from COVID . 0n 21^st Sept. evening, Naxatra TV conducted a discussion on this issue in which I was invited as one of the panelist. I heard the whole story and gave my opinion. After returning from the discussion, I thought for hours together how to help this boy and chose option of filling the case in Odisha Human Rights Commission. I called Pabitra Nayak and prepared the complaint and filed it in the office of the Commission on 22.9.20 at 11 am. Our prayer before the Commission was immediate order to KIMS Hospital for surgery operation and direction to Secretary, H &FW to conduct inquiry into the whole matter inviting response from all major four hospitals including Inspector-in-Charge, Chandrasekhar Police Station for their negligence in rendering service to the patient.

Outcome

After direction of the Commission, KIMS Hospital immediately conducted surgery operation at 11 pm on same day 22.9.20. The parents are quite happy now. Let us hope that the poor slum boy will recover soon and resume normal life.