Keonjhar: A day after the Odisha government ordered for a probe into 13 crib deaths in 18 days at the Keonjhar district headquarters hospital (DHH) here, a two-member team from the Health department visited the place Monday to begin investigations. The team comprising Dr Rashmi Ranjan Satapathy and child health advisor of National Health Mission (NHM) Dr Rabindranath Panda visited the special newborn care unit and took stock of the newborn deaths and also went through the reports. Health Minister Naba Kishore Das had directed Sunday the Health department to conduct a probe following the death of the newborns in the hospital.
The Directorate of Public Health in a letter- No 4392, dated-19.09.2022 formed a two-member committee to conduct a probe and submit a report to it. The team interacted with doctors, nurses, staff, attendants and kin of the deceased and collected information. Chief district medical officer (CDMO) Dr Sujatarani Mishra, ADMO (Medical) Dr Girish Chandra Rout, ADMO-cum-paediatrician Dr Kishore Chandra Prusty and senior paediatrician Dr Pardip Kumar Mahakur accompanied the team members during their visit. When the team interacted with family members of the deceased, the latter alleged about medical negligence and absence of doctors in the hospital. Chairperson Niku Sahoo of Keonjhar Municipality also met the two-member team and discussed about the various problems the hospital is facing. The probe team, however, refused to talk to the media stating that they will submit the report to the government.
Meanwhile, Kama Dehury, a grief-stricken parent from Banshapal block in the district who lost his newborn baby, lodged Monday a complaint at the Town police station, demanding stringent action against the guilty. Town police IIC Pramodini Sahoo admitted that the complaint has been received. She said action will be taken after conducting a probe.