Baripada: In a shocking incident, a patient was allegedly administered ‘expired’ saline drips at PRM Medical College and Hospital at Baripada in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district due to lack of proper monitoring by the doctors and nurses.
Even a reporter of an electronic media was allegedly misbehaved by a doctor there when the former was gathering news about the incident Wednesday.
The incident has come as a sad commentary on the state government’s good efforts to ensure quality healthcare to the poor and the disadvantaged people in this tribal-dominated district.
Scores of people from various parts of the district throng the medical with the hope of good and affordable treatment, but their treatment is not given right attention, it was alleged.
According to reports, Jagannath Giri, a resident of Bangiripopsi, was admitted to the local CHC. As his condition did not improve, doctors referred him to PRM Medical College.
He was given various medicines and a saline bottle was administered to him. After the saline drips exhausted, Giri’s condition deteriorated. His son Rajat suspected and examined the saline bottle and found that it has expired November.
He drew attention of the doctors and other medical staff to the expired saline bottle.
The doctors on duty and other medical staff downplayed it and assured Rajat that nothing will happen to his father. They also allegedly warned him to keep quiet, said Rajat.
Acting on a tip-off, some reporters rushed to the medical college to cover the story. It was alleged that a doctor misbehaved with a reporter. The scribe immediately drew attention of the medical authorities and later lodged a complaint at the Baripada police station against the doctor and a staff nurse.
Baripada IIC Ashok Kumar Nayak assured that the matter will be probed thoroughly. Meanwhile, doctors have cited that Giri has brain hemorrhage and hence he was referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
Superintendent of PRM Medical College and Hospital Dr Narendranath Soren said he was out of station and the matter has come to his notice.
He added that the matter would be investigated and misbehaviour towards a media person is unfortunate if it was true. This issue will also be probed, he assured.
PNN