BERHAMPUR: Tension flared up at Rayagada district headquarters hospital (DHH) after a nine-year-old boy allegedly died due to delay in receiving blood transfusion on Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Rajiv Takiri of New Colony in Rayagada town. Suffering from fever, Rajiv was admitted to the DHH on Tuesday.
Rajiv’s father Madhusudan Takiri, an auto-rickshaw driver by profession, said the doctors recommended an urgent transfusion after his son’s blood test revealed low haemoglobin levels. He approached the hospital’s blood bank but the staff there told him that no blood units of Rajiv’s group were available. Despite repeated pleas and the boy’s deteriorating condition, he received no immediate help, alleged Madhusudan.
On Wednesday morning, blood bank staff asked Madhusudan to arrange a donor. A volunteer was brought in, and blood was transfused to the child. However, Rajiv’s condition worsened during the transfusion, and he died after sometime.
As the news of the boy’s death spread, locals staged protest in front of the blood bank demanding compensation for the bereaved family.
On being informed, police reached the spot to take stock of the situation. Rayagada IIC Suresh Chandra Dev along with blood bank in-charge Goutam Patanaik held discussion with the agitators. The protest was called off after the officials assured a thorough investigation into the incident.