Compensation after 3 years fails to ease pain of losing new-born

In all, four new-borns died at the Islamnagar PHC between May 31 and June 1, 2020 and this prompted a probe by the additional director, Bareilly division. The superintendent of the PHC was suspended, three staff nurses were transferred to other health centres and one of them also lost salary increment for 2020-21. All this was done within a year but the compensation was delayed

LUCKNOW: When Jitendra and Sunita got ₹5 lakh in their bank account, it brought them no joy. Rather, the compensatory amount was a grim reminder of how they lost their first child at the hands of negligent medical staff of the Islamnagar primary health centre (PHC) in Badaun on May 31, 2020.

The probe had pointed out that a retired auxiliary nurse and midwife (ANM) was working at the PHC when the deaths took place. An FIR was lodged against her after initial probe found her role in the deaths. (Pic for representation)

“I have got the compensation amount in my account but I cannot forget how I lost my first child despite reaching a medical facility in time. We did whatever the medical staff asked us to do, including getting some medicines from outside but we lost our first child,” said Jitendra, who now lives with his wife Sunita and two little girls, born after that incident.

In all, four new-borns died at the Islamnagar PHC between May 31 and June 1, 2020 and this prompted a probe by the additional director, Bareilly division. The superintendent of the PHC was suspended, three staff nurses were transferred to other health centres and one of them also lost salary increment for 2020-21.

All this was done within a year but the compensation was delayed. The matter finally reached the National Human Rights Commission. “The compensation was provided according to the directives from the National Human Rights Commission,” said director general, family welfare, Dr Brijesh Rathore.

Anita and Jantrapal also lost their first child in the same PHC. “It has been a long battle and we wish the guilty are punished with even stricter measures,” said Jantrapal.

The probe had pointed out that a retired auxiliary nurse and midwife (ANM) was working at the PHC when the deaths took place. An FIR was lodged against her after initial probe found her role in the deaths.