Bhopal Nursing student dies of Jaundice, Protest erupts over alleged negligence, contaminated food, water at BMHRC

The students protested outside the director's office and demanded action against the hostel warden, hospital authorities and student coordinators for alleged medical negligence.

A first-year nursing student from Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh, died on Monday. Her pathology report on September 16 revealed an abnormally high bilirubin level (4.94, compared to a normal level of up to 1.1 mg/dL). She was later admitted to a private hospital, where new bilirubin levels indicated severe jaundice. She was then referred to AIIMS, Bhopal, where she died on Monday morning.

Protesting students claimed that this case of jaundice was not an isolated case, but that two other people on the BMHRC campus were also suffering from the disease. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one student said TOI that despite repeated complaints, concerns about contaminated food and water on campus were being ignored.

A protesting nursing student said "We look to our teachers for care and understanding, just like we do to our parents. However, they downplayed the severity of her illness and denied medical leave because of which her condition worsened. Something as treatable as jaundice should have been properly diagnosed, managed and cured at a super-specialty hospital like the BMHRC”.

Meanwhile, responding to the protest on campus, a senior administrative official at the premier teaching hospital claimed no such complaint of alleged contamination of food and water was received.

Later in the day, the BMHRC also issued a press statement claiming that it "conducts regular scientific testing of its drinking water supply." It stated further that the latest such test, conducted on September 9, found the water on campus to be compliant with all safety standards and deemed it 'fit for consumption'.