HRC seeks report from Chhattisgarh on baby falling in dustbin

RAIPUR: Parents of the newborn who died after eleven days of falling in the dustbin at Bastar district’s largest government hospital in Jagdalpur, still await justice and compensation even after a year of the incident. While no compensation has been given to the family, they have any idea on action taken against the culprits, alleged an NGO.
The NGO Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), Chhattisgarh then wrote to National Human Rights Commission complaining about the issue seeking attention. Now, NHRC has asked Chhattisgarh government to submit an ‘action taken report’ within a month seeking to know what action government has taken in this regards.

TOI had highlighted the issue based on a report by fact finding team of Human Rights Law Network that alleged gross negligence on part of hospital staff while no FIR was lodged against them and poor parents remained grieving without any compensation.

Though Bastar district magistrate had assured of termination of the careless staff on duty and promised a compensation.
The complainant NGO JSA has demanded that any enquiry or action that has been undertaken by the government on this incident should be made public and shared with the victim’s family as they are clueless about the update despite lodging an FIR.
Subrat Sahoo principal secretary, state health department said, “Two nursing staff and a PG doctor were suspended while the ayah was served showcause notice.”
Leveling serious charges on the government hospital, JSA officials complained the NHRC saying that there was medical negligence by the doctors and nurses on duty in the labour room at the time of the incident, leading to death of the baby.

The mother Soni Baghel was also subject to harassment by the hospital staff by being forced to clean the blood on the floor immediately post delivery.
Highlighting the insensitivity of hospital and doctors, hospital’s poor quality of health care and bad behaviour meted out to Soni Baghel and her newborn at the Maharani Hospital reflected poor monitoring and management by the responsible authorities, for which they need to be held accountable, demanded JSA.

NHRC was also told that despite complaints made on this incident to government, both at local and state levels, adequate action was not taken and nor was any compensation given to the bereaved family. “The family’s right to grievance redressal has been undermined.”

While the NHRC has sought for an ‘action taken report’ from government, JSA demanded monetary compensation amounting to a minimum of Rs. 10 lakh should be paid to bereaved family.
It wants Police to register a FIR under Section 304 of the IPC on the doctor and nurse who were on duty at the labour room during the incident, for criminal medical negligence. Though the nurses were suspended for few months, they weren’t terminated as promised by collector and the doctor on duty continues without any scar in his profile at the same hospital.