Sambalpur: The Orissa High Court Tuesday directed the state government to pay Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of two deceased Covid patients and Rs 50,000 each to kin of 11 deceased Covid patients over their deaths due to alleged medical negligence in the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) at Burla in this district.
A two-member bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice S Muralidhar passed the order after hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) over the death of Covid patients in VIMSAR due to alleged medical negligence.
The High Court ordered to pay Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of two Covid deceased Prasant Pruseth of Burla and Sehajadi Begum of Brajarajnagar.
Similarly, the court also directed for payment of Rs 50,000 each to the kin of 11 Covid deceased Shantilata Dishri of Barikel in Bargarh, Labang Pandey of Singhanpur near Padampur, Chanchala Badhei of Paikamal, Bhumisuta Bhoi of Bijepur, Hiralal Behera of Burla, Sanjay Chand of Bangalipada of Sambalpur, Jule Khan of Dhankauda, Isad Khan of Motijharan, Tarani Luha of Meghpal, Shama Parween of Pensionpada and Biranchi Podha of Lakhanpur in Jharsuguda.
The case had seven hearings which continued for a year. According to reports, the Covid patients undergoing treatment at the Covid hospital in VIMSAR succumbed to their illness during treatment.
A lawyer Gyanadatta Chouhan alleging the deaths due to medical negligence filed a case in the high court May 23, last year.
The high court admitted the case for hearing as public interest litigation (PIL). Chief Justice S Muralidhar directed a retired district judge ABS Naidu to conduct a probe into the matter and submit a report before it.
The committee headed by the retired district judge visited VIMSAR and collected reports on the deaths. The committee also verified the treatment of the patients in the Covid hospital with various departments of VIMSAR.
The committee also recorded the statements of the deceased Covid patients and submitted its report before the high court in February, this year. The High Court conducted hearing of the case in the first week of March.
When contacted advocate Chouhan said that the high court has passed the order after verifying all the reports in the case. The high court order has established that the patients died due to medical negligence, he added.
PNN