Odisha human rights panel comes to rescue of injured Covid positive patient

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has come to the rescue of a Covid-infected youth, who had allegedly been denied surgery of his stab wounds by several hospitals in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack since September 8. The rights body on Wednesday ordered a private Covid hospital to immediately conduct the surgery and sought a report from the health department on the alleged negligence by hospitals by October 15.
The 21-year-old victim, who belonged to Chandrasekharpur area here, sustained injury on his lower abdomen after being stabbed by one of his neighbours owing to past rivalry around 6.30pm on September 8. “We approached at least five hospitals, including two leading government hospitals here on the night of September 8. While three private hospitals refused to treat my bleeding brother, one of the government hospitals conducted a rapid antigen test on him. The results returned positive around 11.30 pm,” the victim’s brother, who filed the petition with the OHRC on Tuesday, told TOI.
However, the government hospital allegedly refused to admit his Covid-infected brother and conduct the surgery. “From late night of September 8 till the next evening, we approached three other private hospitals in Bhubaneswar and four other hospitals in Cuttack. My brother was denied admission and treatment. We returned to Bhubaneswar and tried our luck at another government hospital in the early hours of September 10. The hospital referred us to a private Covid hospital in Bhubaneswar,” he said.
The petitioner alleged that his injured brother stayed in the Covid hospital for five days and was discharged on September 16. “But the hospital had not operated upon my brother’s stab wound. Following the intervention of police, we took the patient to Capital Hospital on September 17. He stayed in the isolation ward and underwent RT-PCR test. His report returned positive after two days and he was again admitted to the same Covid hospital, which had discharged him on September 16,” the petitioner said. “Since the Covid hospital again refused to conduct the surgery, I approached the OHRC for help. The hospital has assured us of conducting the surgery now,” he added.
In its order, the OHRC took strong note of the alleged suffering of the Covid positive patient. “The allegations, if true, reveal a sad state of affairs of the treatment facilities. The patient cannot be denied treatment just because he is Covid positive. The hospital will immediately start the surgery. The patient will bear the treatment cost. The health secretary will submit a report by October 15,” the OHRC’s order said.
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