-Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura
A 2-day-old baby girl died while on her way to the District COVID Care Centre (DCCC) in the Dhali district of Tripura on June 3. She had tested positive for COVID-19 at a public health centre in the Kamalpur area of the district where she was born two days before.
The 2-day-old baby girl had tested negative for COVID-19 at the DCCC after a COVID test of the corpse carried out as per protocols.
This infuriated the locals and they alleged that the baby died because the on-duty doctor “refused” to treat her based on the false COVID-19 positive report.
“Dr Justin Debbarma referred the two-day-old baby to the District COVID Care Centre as the baby had tested COVID positive in the PHC on Thursday noon,” said a local narrating the incident.
“However, the baby’s parents and their relatives have alleged that she wasn’t suffering from COVID-19 but instead had some complications since birth. But Dr Debbarma refused to attend to the baby as her COVID report came positive. In such a critical condition she was referred to DCHC,” the local seeking anonymity added.
“The baby died on the way and when a COVID test was carried out of the corpse as per protocol, the report came negative,” the local added.
“The news regarding the COVID negative report of the baby infuriated the parents and their relatives. Hundreds of locals then reached the PHC and thrashed Dr Debbarma for his negligence,” the local added.
Even though Dr Debbarma managed to escape, the villagers, however, vandalised the PHS.
The situation was brought under control only after the Additional Superintendent of Police (SP), Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Kamalpur, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Sub Divisional Medical Officer (SDMO) reached the spot with a huge contingent of police.
Meanwhile, the All Tripura Government Doctors Association (ATGDA) secretary Dr Kanak Choudhury condemned the attack on the doctor.
ATGDA has demanded that the administration and the courts should intervene and said that the culprits should be severely punished.
