New Delhi, Sep 8: The NHRC has issued notices to all state governments and Union Territory administrations following a complaint alleging that a youth died after being bitten by a snake due to medical negligence and a lack of emergency life-saving infrastructure at a district hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakoot, officials said.
According to the proceedings of the case dated September 1, the complainant alleged that despite being brought to the district health facility immediately after the snakebite, the victim was denied timely emergency care, including anti-snake venom (ASV) and ventilator or ICU support, and was instead referred to Prayagraj without adequate emergency transit support, resulting in his death en route.
The complainant has alleged that the absence of basic life-saving medical supplies at a main district hospital violates the fundamental Right to Health and Life under Article 21 of the Constitution, officials said on Tuesday.
In the complaint submitted to the National Human Rights Commission, it has been alleged that “a youth died due to severe medical negligence, delay in treatment, and a total lack of emergency life-saving infrastructure at the district hospital in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, after being bitten by a poisonous snake in Khandeha village”.The complainant sought the Commission’s intervention, to order an impartial inquiry against doctors and administrators responsible for it, and to direct the state government to ensure “mandatory ASV availability” and emergency support across all district hospitals, and grant fair monetary compensation to the victim’s family, the proceedings said.
The rights panel directed that the allegations levelled in the complaint be inquired into and an action taken report submitted within two weeks. The allegations made in the complaint prima facie seem to be violations of the human rights of the victim, the proceedings said.
A bench of the NHRC, presided over by its member Priyank Kanoongo, has taken cognisance of it under section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
“The registry is directed to issue a notice to all the chief secretaries of all states/UTs, detailed steps taken to ensure the mandatory availability of anti-snake venom (ASV) in all remote and snakebite-prone areas,” the proceedings said.
“The state authorities are further directed to immediately identify any unmapped high-risk zones, collect empirical data on snakebite incidents, and institute all necessary healthcare measures without delay, with directions to get the allegations made in the complaint inquired into and to submit an action taken report within two weeks for perusal of the Commission,” it said. (Agencies)
