BERHAMPUR: Nine months after it was sealed and its owner arrested over the death of a woman and her newborn child, a private nursing home was found operating illegally in Sanakhemundi area of Ganjam district.
On Satuday, the district administration arrested Manguli Pradhan, owner of the facility. A day earlier, a joint team had raided the nursing home following charges of it being run illegally and sealed it.
During the raid, two patients were found undergoing treatment at the nursing home. Around 21 medical equipment, including ultrasound and BP machines, were seized from the facility.
In May last year, the nursing home was sealed after a woman and her newborn child died during delivery. The victim’s husband had lodged a complaint alleging that the staff engaged with the facility were untrained and uncertified to handle critical medical procedures.
Following the complaint, police arrested Pradhan and a paramedic Madhusmita Patnaik in this connection. They were later released on bail.
However, a month back, the nursing home resumed operation. Pradhan claimed that he had received necessary clearances to run the nursing home again.
When the chief district medical officer instructed him to shut down the operation, the owner allegedly defied the directive and continued operating the clinic. The district health office subsequently apprised the local administration and police about the illegal clinic.
Acting on the complaint, a raid was carried out in presence of Sankhemundi tehsildar Ramachandra Patnaik, Digapahandi medical officer Dr Pradeep Pradhan, Chikiti SDPO Vishwamitra Harpal and Digapahandi IIC Kishor Samal. During the raid, two patients were found admitted at the unlicensed facility.
On being questioned, Pradhan failed to provide the necessary documents to run the nursing home besides the equipment kept at the facility. Subsequently, a case was registered under relevant sections of the BNS and the Clinical Establishment (Registrations and Regulation) Act, and Pradhan was arrested, said investing officer Sofia Mishra.
Pradhan was produced in court and later remanded in judicial custody after his bail plea was rejected.