HC probe into woman’s death: Officials allege negligence by hospital
: A high-level team of Jharkhand Legal Service Authority (JHALSA) conducting investigation into death of a 30-year-old woman has alleged negligence on the part of authorities at MGM Medical College Hospital in Jamshedpur.
The investigation was undertaken on Sunday. The probe came after a double bench of Jharkhand high court Chief Justice Dr Ravi Ranjanand and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad ordered a probe by JHALSA on Thursday, while blasting the hospital management and the state government.
As per available information, the deceased woman, identified as Heeramuni, was allegedly burnt by her husband Rajan Purty, whom she had married on January 14 this year.
Amrita Kumari, a local advocate in consultation with HC advocate Anup Agrawal, had brought the matter to the notice of Chief Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan on Wednesday after visiting the victim patient on Tuesday. However, Heeramuni died on Thursday morning, even as the HC bench heard the PIL and eventually ordered probe.
“The 91% burnt Heeramuni was then shifted to burn ward from under a bed in the emergency ward late Wednesday night, after spending three days at MGMMH without much attention. It was sheer negligence and indifference by hospital authorities, as she was naked, 91% burnt with saline dripping on her as she was lying under the bed,” Kumari on Sunday.
Heeramuni and her husband hailed from Borda village in Chakradharpur subdivision in West Singhbhum district. Purty was arrested and sent to jail after he had fled soon after setting Heeramuni on fire on February 14.
The Chief Justice, stating his verbal observation on Thursday, said that such hospitals should be closed down. “This has shaken our souls. We regret why the court could not hear the matter on Wednesday night. Her death didn’t wait and she left this morning, leaving a burning question for the system,” Dr Ranjan had said on Thursday, observing further that an FIR be filed for such dereliction of duty, inhumanity and insensitivity.
On Sunday, DLSA Secretary Nitesh Kumar Sanga, city magistrate Chandradev Prasad, city SP Subhash Chandra Jaat and advocate Amrita Kumari recorded statements of MGMMH superintendent Dr Sanjay Kumar, deputy superintendent Dr Nakul Prasad Choudhary and other doctors on duty and health staff.
The committee will submit its report within a week, officials said.
“We will soon submit our report. In my opinion, the hospital authorities are solely responsible and accountable for such indifference and negligence. The superintendent informed that there were not enough beds in the burn ward. The question is why did they not refer the patient to RIMS or Tata Main Hospital (TMH) in that case,” asked Kumari.