KENDRAPARA: The district health administration on Saturday initiated a probe into reports claiming that an accident victim was recently treated using mobile torchlight due to lack of electricity at Rajnagar community health centre (CHC) in Kendrapara, after a video of the incident went viral.
Sources said that one Krupasindhu Sahoo of Bhatapada village sustained serious injuries in a road accident on Friday night for which he was admitted in the hospital. The CHC doctor and other staff however had to treat him using mobile phone lights as there was reportedly no electricity at the time of his treatment.
The patient's attendant captured the incident on phone and leaked the video on social media, triggering public outrage.
Contacted, medical officer of the CHC Rashmiranjan Mohanty said it was a minor surgery and the medical staff were forced to use the mobile flashlight as there was a power cut in the middle of the treatment and they had no other option before the generator could be started.
The mobile light was used only for five minutes before power was restored, he clarified. The videos of the surgery were leaked to malign us, he added. Additional district chief medical officer Sachitananda Mishra said the matter is being investigated.