A medical officer was assaulted and left injured by a group of people at Manikpur Primary Health centre (PHC) at Longtarai Valley sub-division under Dhalai district in Tripura following deaths of two children due to malaria on Wednesday. The PHC was also ransacked.
Dr. Pranab Debbarma, posted at the PHC, confirmed the incident and said that two children – Dharmita Tripura (8) and her brother Dhananjoy Tripura (4) were brought to the PHC and the children were running high fever.
According to Dr. Debbarma, the health condition of the children was critical and the same was informed to their family. When the doctor conducted necessary medical examinations, the children were detected to be malaria patients.
After counseling the family members, the attending medical officer had also intimated the family that condition of the two children was critical and treatment for these two children was not possible in PHC with the available healthcare facility. But the family insisted to continue treatment in the PHC.
In the meantime, first the girl and then her brother passed away.
The problem started after a relative of the deceased’s family arrived at the PHC and got engaged in a hot altercation. It was a Haat Baar in Manikpur – and reports of death of two children turned the crowd hostile. They attacked Dr. Pranab Debbarma leaving him with serious injuries. People also vandalized the PHC. Later, Police along with the TSR personnel rescued Dr Debbarma.
The injured doctor was referred to GBP hospital in a serious condition. Adequate Police and TSR personnel were deployed at the PHC soon after the incident.
The local people alleged that two children died as the Health department failed to take proper and adequate measures to control the disease.
Informed sources contradicted the allegation and said that the children were, most probably, suffering for few days and were brought to the PHC in very critical condition. The attending doctor tried his best to save the lives – it was too late and eventually the children died.