Irate crowd vandalises hospital after girl’s death

Birgunj, November 20:

An enraged group, alleging carelessness on the part of doctors, today vandalised the National Medical College Teaching Hospital (NMCTH) at Bhediya of Birgunj.

Rekha Kumari Shah (10), daughter of Suresh Shah of Ghusukpur-7 in Kalaiya died while undergoing treatment at NMCTH last night. Rekha’s family said she died due to incompetence of the doctors who could not diagnose the problem timely. They started shouting slogans and vandalised the hospital.

The situation became tense and regular services at the hospital came to a halt after the rampaging group began burning tyres at the hospital gate and blocked people’s entry into the hospital.

“Rekha was admitted to the hospital for an appendicitis. She was kept on the hospital bed in an unconscious state for three days after an operation on November 16,” said Rekha’s aunt Sudamdevi, adding that Rekha died two hours after a doctor gave her an injection yesterday .

The situation eased after local leaders of political parties and police officials held talks with the hospital management and ensured that it would provide Rs 50,000 as compensation to the deceased’s kin. “The hospital management has agreed to give the compensation,” said SP Ramesh Phuyal.