Woman dies at Nuapada Hospital after alleged wrong injection, family seeks probe
Nuapada: A 40-year-old woman died at Nuapada District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) after her family alleged that she was administered the wrong injection during treatment, prompting protests and demands for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her death.
The woman, a resident of Pendrapathar village in Nuapada, was admitted to the hospital on August 25 after developing fever. According to her family, she was administered an injection on Friday night, following which she developed abdominal discomfort and swelling. Her condition subsequently deteriorated, and she died at around 1.30 am on Saturday.
The family has alleged that the medication administered was meant to treat dizziness rather than acidity-related symptoms. They further claimed that they sought a referral to another hospital, but their request was not accepted.
Following her death, relatives and local residents staged a protest outside the office of the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), demanding an inquiry into the incident.
According to TNIE, the protesters placed the body in front of the office and staged a dharna from around 8 am, demanding an inquiry into the circumstances leading to her death. The protesters specifically sought an investigation into the role of the doctor treating the patient. They also demanded that a murder case be registered in connection with the case. A complaint was later submitted at Nuapada police station.
Senior district officials, including the CDMO, Sub-Collector and Tehsildar, along with police personnel, reached the site and held discussions with the family. The protest continued for several hours before being called off following the administration's intervention.
The body was subsequently sent for post-mortem examination. Officials said the exact cause of death would be determined through the post-mortem and further inquiry.
According to Odisha TV, the deceased woman's husband said, "I asked for a referral on August 28, but the doctor did not agree and was rather rude to me. I did not say anything further. Later that night, when my wife experienced abdominal pain, possibly due to acidity, the doctor administered an injection at around 12:45 am. When she felt uneasy again, I informed them. They had administered the wrong medication. Instead of giving her medication for acidity, they had given her medication for dizziness. Following this, she died."
The administration has decided to constitute an independent inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death and identify those responsible if any lapse is established.
