Locked CHC Leads Woman To Give Birth Under Tree In Odisha’s Dhenkanal

Dhenkanal: A woman had to give birth to a baby in the campus of a CHC in the district as the hospital was locked and none of the staff was present.

According to sources, Santosh Nayak of Rahanigaon under Birasal panchayat took his wife Devaki along with Asha worker to community health centre (CHC) at Birasal under Kankadahada block after she felt labour pain on Thursday night.

When he reached the CHC, there were no medical staff and the hospital was locked up. Desperate for medical help, Santosh banged on the closed grill door of the CHC, but there was no response.

Meanwhile, Devaki, who was lying in the verandah of the CHC, was in acute delivery pain. Santosh said as there was no other way, the Asha worker and Devaki’s mother took her to a neem tree in the campus and she delivered a baby boy there. The condition of both baby and Devaki was normal, he added.

When Dhenknal CDMO Ashok Das was told about the incident and asked why the CHC was closed, he said he was not aware of it. However, he admitted that it was gross negligence on the part of CHC staff and stringent action would be taken against those responsible for dereliction of duty.