Jalpaiguri, April 14 -- Tension gripped Jalpaiguri Medical College on Monday after the death of a 50-year-old woman, allegedly due to medical negligence. Relatives of the deceased and local residents staged a sit-in protest on the hospital premises, demanding accountability from the doctors involved.
The deceased, Janaki Malakar, a resident of Mali Para under Kharizha Berubari-II Panchayat in the Kotwali Police Station area, was admitted to the medical college following a leg injury. According to her son, Ranjit Malakar, Janaki fell and fractured her leg at home on March 31. She was initially treated and discharged the same day with a plaster.
However, due to recurring pain and swelling, she was readmitted to the hospital on April 7 and underwent surgery.
Ranjit Malakar alleged: "From the day after the surgery, my mother's leg swelled again and she was in unbearable pain. Despite this, the doctors who operated on her never came to check on her. On Monday, we received a call from the hospital stating her condition had worsened.
We rushed there, but she passed away within minutes. My mother did not receive proper treatment. She died because of the doctors' negligence."
Following the incident, Ranjit Malakar lodged a written complaint at Jalpaiguri Kotwali Police Station, naming two doctors from the medical college.
As the news spread, agitated locals and family members staged a protest within the hospital premises.
The demonstration was called off only after the MSVP (Medical Superintendent cum Vice Principal) of Jalpaiguri Medical College, Dr Kalyan Khan, assured a thorough investigation and appropriate action based on the findings.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.