- Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura
Agartala: May 05, 2022 : Infuriated mob of villagers on Wednesday vandalized the Manikpur Primary Health Center (PHC) and thrashed the on-duty medical officer Pranab Debbarma sustaining grievous injuries at Tripura’s Dhalai district following death of two minor patients, said police official.
It is reported that the allegations of medical negligence were raised by the villagers as two children died. The deceased kids are- Darmita Tripura (8) and Dharmanjay Tripura (5). With the complaints of fever, they were admitted to the PHC.
The on-duty medical officer Pranab Debbarma gave an injection followed by an oral medicine after primary check-up.
The health condition of the kids began to deteriorate after the medicines were given to the kids at around 2 PM on Wednesday and both the children breathed their last, alleged by their family members.
Exasperated by the unfortunate deaths of the kids, the primary health center was ransacked by the local villagers and Dr Debbarma was physically assaulted.
Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer of the Dhalai district Dr P Kaloi told reporters, “Patients’ parents were made aware about the seriousness of the kids. Preliminary symptoms of the patients suggested that they were infected with Malaria parasites. They had been advised to shift them to a better hospital but the parents refused”.
“The children breathed their last after a certain period of time. The hospital authorities also arranged an ambulance for shifting them to a better hospital, but nothing worked out,” he added.
Claiming the case as late arrival for treatment, Dr Kaloi said that the parents of the kids had also understood the fact and they even started for their home with mortal remains. But, all at once, the hospital has been vandalized by an irate mob of villagers.
Hearing about the incident, local MLA reached the spot and pacified the annoyed villagers. About 40 to 50 people once again forcibly entered into the health center and physically tortured Dr Pranab Debbarma as soon as the MLA left the hospital premises.
The on-duty doctor sustained grievous injuries on his head and other parts of the body. He was immediately shifted to Chailengta hospital for treatment, but on-duty doctors referred him to GBP Hospital for better treatment, sources added.
CMO said that state police and TSR personnel have been deployed in the area to prevent any kind of untoward situation further. The security of the hospital premises has been tightened in order to build confidence among other health workers.
