Allegations of medical negligence and bribery triggered public outrage in Nayagarh following the death of a pregnant woman late Saturday night at the district headquarters hospital (DHH) here.
The deceased, Mamata Swain, 26, from Balugaon in Nayagarh block, was admitted to the DHH’s maternity ward after experiencing labour around 8pm Saturday.
Her husband, Sanjay Kumar Nayak—a BJP youth leader—alleged that the on-duty obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Rabindra Nath Sahu, demanded a bribe of Rs 30,000 to perform a caesarean section.
According to Nayak, after he refused to pay the bribe, no medical procedure was conducted, nor was his wife referred to another hospital for treatment. He further claimed that Dr Sahu spent the night in an air-conditioned room and did not attend to his wife, despite repeated calls. Nayak said he had gone back to the village to arrange the money, but by the time he returned to the hospital at around 3:40am, his wife had died. The doctor reportedly declared her dead at that time.