Odisha: Rourkela Hospital staff nurse assaulted by kin after patient's death, colleagues condemn attack

Rourkela: A staff nurse of Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) was assaulted by the relatives of a patient alleging medical negligence, following which the health workers staged a protest against the assault. 

A 62-year-old patient Ram Pyare Jaiswal from Panposh in Rourkela, was admitted after he complained of acute breathing problems and other related complications on Monday evening. However, he passed away after a few hours. 

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After his death, the family members raised issues over the death and accused the hospital members of medical negligence. According to two of the patient's sons, their father was not allegedly given oxygen support even though he complained of difficulty in breathing. Some relatives of the patient began assaulting a staff of the hospital following the patient's death and attacked him on the hospital premises. 

The health workers of RGH stopped their work and began their protest against the assault of the staff member, reports The New Indian Express. Later, the police and RGH management intervened and urged them to call off their protest, after which the situation returned to normalcy. The staff filed a complaint against five persons at the RN Pali police station, and the patient's family members filed another complaint alleging medical negligence. 

However, according to RGH Superintendent Dr. Jagdish Barik, it was not a case of medical negligence alleging that the patient was already admitted to the hospital in critical condition. The doctor treating them had reportedly advised the family members to shift to VIMSAR, Burla, or any other higher center due to a shortage of ICU facilities in RGH. Dr. Barik said, "The patient appears to have died of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or heart attack. As per the hospital protocol, a fact-finding committee will probe the matter."

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