Bhubaneswar: A woman was allegedly denied treatment for her fractured hand at Capital Hospital here simply because she wore bangles. Authorities of the hospital are facing severe criticism due to this act of callousness.
Sources said Sukanti Sahu, a resident of Laxmisagar area in this city broke her hand Saturday. Family members had rushed her to Capital Hospital the same night. The doctor on duty at the emergency ward had bandaged her hand. He had asked the family members to bring back Sukanti the next morning to get an X-ray done of the injured hand after which it was to be plastered.
Sukanti along with her family members reached the hospital at about 6.00am Sunday. An X-ray was also done on her fractured hand. However, when it came to plastering her hand, the orthopedic doctor then on duty refused to do so.
The patient’s daughter Saralarekha alleged that the doctor asked them to remove the bangles to get treatment. “We requested him to cut the bangles as the hospital had the equipment to do so. But he refused to do so even though my mother was in tremendous pain. She said that the doctor asked her mother to go to a goldsmith to get the bangles cut. Such unprofessional behaviour from a doctor of well-renowned hospital completely stumped the patient’s family.
Capital Hospital Deputy Superintendent Dr Dhananjay Das also termed Monday the behaviour of the doctor as ‘unprofessional’. “The doctor’s attitude to a patient in pain is unprofessional. He should not have asked her to go to a goldsmith as the department has the equipment to cut metals. It was completely unethical on the part of the doctor,” said Dr Das.
“The allegation will be investigated and suitable action will be taken against the doctor if he is found guilty,” Dr Das asserted.
PNN