NHRC Orders Rs 2 Lakh Compensation to Family of Woman Who Died Due to Ambulance Delay, ET HealthWorld
Cuttack: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered the state govt to pay a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family members of a pregnant Nabarangpur woman who died due to a delay by the ambulance in reaching the hospital at Koraput.
NHRC, in its order on Thursday, also set a six-week deadline for the state govt to disburse the compensation and submit a compliance report with proof of payment. NHRC passed the order after considering Jeypore-based human rights activist and lawyer Anup Kumar Patro’s petition registered on Oct 18, 2023.
The petitioner alleged that Manorama Dongori (28) was referred to Sahid Laxman Nayak Medical College Hospital (SLNMCH) at Koraput from the district headquarters hospital, Nabarangpur, but she died on the way due to a delay by the 108 ambulance service on Feb 2 last year.
NHRC, on May 14, issued a showcause notice to the chief secretary questioning why Rs 2 lakh compensation should not be recommended to be paid to the next of kin of the deceased.
In its reply, state govt said the emergency medical ambulance service (108) under National Health Mission (NHM) was outsourced to a Mumbai-based firm. The delay in reaching SLNMCH was due to breakdown of the vehicle. The woman would have survived if the ambulance was in proper condition, the state govt stated while seeking exoneration from the award of compensation.
However, the commission observed that outsourcing certain functions of NHM, including the ambulance service for implementation and operation, does not mean that the state govt cannot be held responsible for any negligence, possibly on the part of the outsourced agency.
“At the most, the state govt may challan the said outsourced agency for the lapses/monetary loss on the state exchequer. Hence, the showcause notice issued under section 18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, vide commission’s proceeding dated May 14, 2024, to the chief secretary, govt of Odisha to pay compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, Manorama Dongori, is hereby confirmed,” NHRC’s order said.
According to case records, Manorama was admitted to the DHH on Jan 31, 2023, at 9 am with labour pain. She delivered a stillborn child at 9.26 am on the same day. But Manorama was referred at around 8.20 pm on Feb 1 to SLNMCH in Koraput as she developed abdominal complications after a blood transfusion.
The ambulance left Nabarangpur DHH at 11 pm but broke down on the way. Another ambulance was arranged, which picked up the patient and reached Koraput at 3 am on Feb 2, where she was declared dead.
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