NHRC notice to Bihar over girl’s death

The NHRC took notice of a media report about a young girl in West Bengal, who died due to lack of basic medical facilities, and issued a notice to the Bihar government, calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took notice of a media report about a young girl in West Bengal, who died due to lack of basic medical facilities, and issued a notice to the Bihar government through its principal secretary (Health & Family Welfare), calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks.

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The girl Rani Kumar, a resident of Bihar’s model village Dharhara suffered from diarrhoea. She died when basic medical facilities required to deal with her condition were not available.

According to the news report, the health centre is in shambles and is often locked. The CM and his health minister had promised a six bed hospital during their visit to the village in 2010 but the same has not been constructed so far.

Rani’s father has reportedly said that his daughter would have been alive if the Health Centre had been functioning.

The Commission observed that the contents of the press report, if true, amount to serious violation of right to health of the girl.