Nursing Home Sealed Amid Patient Death Scandal

The Chatra administration took decisive action on Sunday, sealing a private nursing home near the Chatra bus stand. This closure followed the death of Baijanti Devi, a 20-year-old pregnant woman from Chuku village, and her unborn child.

An inspection team, acting on the deputy commissioner's orders, found the facility's doctors and staff absent, with only the landlord present. They sealed the premises, including the wards, OPD, and operation theatre, after transferring an existing patient to Sadar hospital. A preliminary probe indicated negligence during treatment.

Devi's family reported admitting her on June 3 and being charged approximately Rs 25,000. They claim hospital staff informed them of a critical condition requiring surgery on June 6, demanding an additional Rs 40,000 for the procedure. When they could not afford it, she was sent home, where she later died.

Further allegations include the baby's death in utero during treatment, followed by Baijanti's deteriorating health. Her husband, Lato Ganjhu, specifically cited a transfusion of one unit of blood for which Rs 9,000 was charged, questioning the absence of proper blood matching procedures.

Concerns were also raised regarding the nursing home's certification. The facility is reportedly run by Vikas Yadav and three others, with Yadav previously operating another hospital in Bagra Mor that was shut down during an administrative crackdown last year before allegedly reopening near the bus stand.

The civil surgeon confirmed the unclear source of the transfused blood, emphasizing that it should come from authorized blood banks. While no formal complaint has been filed by the family yet, an FIR will be registered if a written complaint is submitted.