Five dead at Odisha govt hospital due to alleged medical negligence
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Bhubaneswar: At least five patients lost their lives at the government-run Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital (SLNMCH) in Odisha's Koraput, allegedly after being administered the wrong injection.
Authorities have ordered a probe into the incident.
The deceased were undergoing treatment in the ICU and general surgery wards of the hospital, with patients hailing from Koraput, Borigumma, Kalahandi, Semiliguda, and Machhara.
The tragedy unfolded after 11 p.m. on Tuesday, when five critically ill patients died in quick succession.
Distraught relatives protested at the hospital, claiming that their loved ones had succumbed due to incorrectly administered injections.
They claimed that the condition of their patients was good after the operation.
As tension erupted on the hospital premises, the police were deployed to avoid any untoward incident.
The bodies will be handed over to family members after autopsy.
"We admitted the patient on Tuesday afternoon for treatment. After the operation, the hospital authorities told us that the patient would be kept in the ICU for intensive care. Our patient, who was alive till then, died after the nurse administered a wrong injection," alleged a relative of one of the deceased patients on Wednesday.
Susanta Kumar Sahu, Medical Superintendent of SLNMCH, has denied allegations of medical negligence.
Koraput District Collector Keerthi Vasan informed the media that a high-level committee has been formed to investigate the claims and determine the cause of the deaths.
He assured that the district administration would seek assistance from the state government if necessary.
The collector also emphasised that SLNMCH, Koraput, being a tertiary care centre, primarily receives critically ill patients referred for advanced treatment.
Meanwhile, the family members of another patient, who passed away on Wednesday morning, have also alleged medical negligence.
(inputs from IANS)
